Bobi, human rights boss Wangadya clash over cancelled music concerts

READ: My life is in danger, rights boss tells Parliament

Drama as UHRC dismisses case against govt

In his presentation before the UHRC tribunal on Monday, Mr Kyagulanyi told the commission chairperson, Ms Mariam Wangadya that Article 28 of what is left of the Constitution of Uganda provides for the right to a fair hearing.
According to him, the law provides that a person shall be entitled to a fair, speedy, and public hearing before an independent and impartial court tribunal.

“To our disappointment, we have not only seen inaction by this commission against the perpetrators but we have also heard public statements from the leadership of this commission, not only mocking the victims but also attributing the blame entirely on them,” Mr Kyagulanyi who was accompanied by his lawyers George Musisi and Benjamin Katana, among others said.
However, before he could complete his submissions, Ms Wangadya interjected saying she could not let the former presidential contender disrespect the commission in her presence.

 “Excuse me! If that is the personal statement you are making, it is an attack on the commission.  You are free to withdraw your complaint.  We shall not allow you to demean or disrespect this commission.  If that is the statement you are making you are not going any further. You are represented, you can speak through your lawyers. I will not allow you to accuse this commission of violating human rights.  You will not speak! Where is the security,” a visibly infuriated Ms Wangadya told Mr Kyagulanyi.

However, the opposition leader kept telling the tribunal; ”But you, madam chairperson you have mocked the victims, the missing people. I hereby withdraw my complaint from this commission because it lacks impartiality and independence to hear it. This is supposed to be the human rights body helping people.”
According to the withdrawn formal complaint on violation of rights by the Uganda Police Force that was sent and received by UHRC on December 10, 2018, Mr Kyagulanyi states that police had blocked his music shows without any reasonable excuse.

He said he had planned to hold a music concert at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole in September 2018 but police blocked it claiming that he and the organisers had not secured the venue.
 “Our client also organized another music show in Gulu District where he was to perform at Smiling Panda on December 2, 2018. Despite the organisers duly fulfilling the conditions, the police heavily deployed at the show venue and denied all the people access claiming that they had received orders from above to block the show,” read part of Mr Kyagulanyi’s complaint.

 Adding...“We have proceeded to notify the police in writing about planned music shows and the police have adamantly not replied to the notification letters and in other cases blocked the shows. Being a musician and a performing artiste, a vocation he does to earn a living, our client has been a victim of the arbitrary and illegal conduct of the police which has violated his right to earn a gainful income.”

In the letter, Mr Kyagulanyi’s lawyers told the tribunal that he had lost a lot of money in organizing these shows, hiring venues, advertising hiring public address systems, and paying support staff in expectation of recovering the monies only for the same shows to be frustrated by the police.

 It was further stated that some service providers were threatening to sue him for breach of contracts regarding the several cancelled shows in Masaka, Kala Kalangala and Mityana.