Govt’s 7-point plan to end rights abuses

The new Justice and Constitutional Affairs Minister, Mr Norbert Mao, yesterday outlined a seven-point blueprint to tackle allegations of rights abuses by mainly security forces and other State actors.

In a submission to Parliament’s Committee on Human Rights chaired by Mr Fox Odoi, the minister endorsed a raft of proposals by lawmakers invested in ending impunity and rights violations.

Mr Mao specifically committed to “encourage” President Museveni, his appointing authority, on issues of human rights.

“It is our duty to insist on the Constitution he [President Museveni] signed in 1995 and which he swore to protect. I urge all Ugandans to condemn human rights abuses,” he said.

The minister, who simultaneously serves as the president general of the Democratic Party (DP), promised to engage all government ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to protect rights of citizens and comply with court decisions.

He outlined plans for a review of the Constitution, which he said would help close the gaps currently being exploited to inflict pain on Ugandans.

The commitments by the minister coincide with today’s invite-only, high-level Monitor @30 Dialogue at Kampala Serena Hotel during which issues of promotion of the rule of law, media freedom, democracy and human rights will be canvassed.  

Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo will be the keynote speaker on the topic, “60 Years of Independent Uganda: Monitor and Nation Building”.

Minister Mao was invited to today’s event.

In Parliament yesterday, Mr Mao struck a positive note on matters of civil liberty, undertook to pursue release of political detainees, and engage with security forces to root out rights violations.

This followed a string of concerns raised by the legislators to the newcomer minister cut from the Opposition political cloth. For instance, Terego Woman MP Rose Obiga tasked Mr Mao to intervene in the continued arrests and disappearance of Ugandans.

The Deputy Commander of the Special Forces Command (SFC), Brig Charity Bainababo, one of the representatives of the Uganda People’s Defense Force (UPDF) in the 11th Parliament, tasked the minister to ensure gaps in ppolice investigation units are closed.

In response, Mr Mao committed to remain neutral in executing his mandate and to deliver justice to all Ugandans.

Among the cases he cited were those of Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake and satirical novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who fled to Germany following his torture earlier in the year.

Security forces, particularly elements in the army, have been on the spot for brutalising MP Zaake in Arua, in his constituency and at Parliament during a session in 2017 to amend the Constitution to remove the presidential age limit.

In all cases, he has ended up in hospital, either in the country or abroad.

In the case of Mr Rukirabashaija, whom minister Mao yesterday revealed had petitioned him in writing over his case, unknown agents arrested the writer from his Kampala home and he said he ended up in the custody of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

He alleges that he was tortured for days, and emerged with his back marked with what appeared like torture marks.

When a chief magistrate in Kampala declined his request to be allowed to seek specialised medical care overseas, Mr Rukirabashaija discreetly fled to Germany, where he presently lives.   

“I believe these specific cases allow us to handle them internally,” Mr Mao told lawmakers. “There is no way we can accept a citizen of Uganda to just disappear. Actually, I am more concerned about the disappearances,” he said.

He added: “We are working with other government agencies. I need this committee to note that there is a body in Uganda known as the National Security Council and its opinion is very important in some of these cases. I won’t come here and pretend that I know exactly the details of those cases.”

Yesterday’s discussions came in the wake of findings by the New York-based Human Rights Watch incriminating state security agencies in the illegal arrest, detention and in some cases enforced disappearance of citizens, mainly government critics.

The rights defenders called for the closure of illegal detention centres, whose existence the government denies.

President Museveni has previously tackled the allegations in televised addresses during which he rebuked security personnel to stop torturing civilians because, he said, it leads to three problems: punishment of the wrong person, a person pleading guilty to escape pain rather than a genuine admission, and actual criminal thus remaining scot-free.

Mao’s plan at glance

●   Spearhead constitutional review,

●    Engage relevant ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) to heed demands

●   Grant audience to torture victims

●    Push government institutions to comply with court decisions

●   Pursue release of political prisoners

●    Engage security agencies over rights issues

●   Neutral player in the Executive

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