The Katikkiro of Buganda, Owek. Charles Peter Mayiga, has castigated security agencies in Uganda for torturing suspected criminals.
He says acts of torture by security agencies should be in the past at times like these when country is marking the brutal murder of former Anglican Archbishop Janani Luwum in 1977.
Luwum and two other cabinet ministers were, February 16, 1977, arrested and accused of treason and planning a coup. It was then announced that all three were killed in a car crash, caused by the victims trying to overpower the driver.
When the body of Luwum was released to his family, the cause of death by gunshots was obvious. It is said that Luwum was killed on orders of President Idi Amin Dada.
His reign was characterised by human rights abuses, political repression and corruption. It is estimated that the number of people killed during his regime was over 100,000.
Now, Mayiga says it is self defeating for state actors who have for years rebuked previous regimes over human rights abuses, to torture suspects with impunity.
This, he posted on Twitter, attaching a photo of a supporter of opposition political party, National Unity Platform (NUP), Eric Mwesigwa, who reportedly tortured by security.
“It’s a contradiction and shame that we commemorate the murder of Archbishop Janan Luwum by Idi Amin when state security operatives torture Ugandans in this manner, today. Respect for human rights is the foundation for democracy and progress,” Mayiga wrote on Twitter.
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine, the leader of NUP said: “They abducted him and tortured him asking what Bobi Wine and NUP are planning to do to “overthrow the government”. What a group of cold-hearted criminals!
The opposition figure shared pictures of Mwesigwa apparently writhing in pain as he showed visible marks of torture on his chest.
Mwesigwa, said they burnt him with some hot metals on the chest, used metallic pieces to tear his skin, kicked him several times in the chest and stomach, and did other unthinkable things to him.
“This has been the fate of hundreds of our supporters who are regularly abducted,” said Kyagulanyi.
However, the army, through its spokesperson, Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, dismissed the allegations. He said Mwesigwa was never in their custody.
“Having done a thorough check on all security agencies, it has been established that a one Mwesigwa Eric was not in the hands of any security agency. We advise him to go to the UHRC and report or the police so that we can commence intensive investigation,” Kulayigye said.
President Museveni has consistently wanted security personnel against torture, saying confessions extracted from torture victims is inadmissible in courts of law.
However, the human rights abuses continue unabated with NUP activists being key targets of intelligence services.
President Museveni has not taken any firm action against perpetrators of the human rights violations.
The Ugandan taxpayer continues to pay billions of shillings in compensation to torture victims while the perpetrators remain at large.
From 2015 to 2018, the Uganda Human Rights Commission handled and provided redress for 1,377 cases of torture, while its partners, the ACTV provided treatment and rehabilitation to a total of 6,548 torture survivors (4,606 Male and 1,942 female).
In 2020, the commission received a total of 238 (203 Male and 35 Female) torture complaints out of which 150 were reported against the Uganda Police Force, 83 against the UPDF and 5 against the Uganda Prison Service.