Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke addresses journalists in Kampala on July 22, 2024. PHOTO/PRISCILLA MALOBA
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has commenced a probe into allegations that some of the suspects arrested during the anti-corruption protests last week were sodomised.
The claims of sodomy against the security forces first surfaced last Thursday when social justice activist and Makerere University lecturer and satirist Prof Jimmy Spire Ssentongo highlighted it on his X-platform, formerly Twitter.
Prof Ssentongo wrote that some of the youths released told him they were subjected to anal rape, a claim that both the police and army have dismissed.
He challenged the police to answer how they could have degenerated and sunk into infamy by forcing a young male suspect into the sordid act.
Mr Lamex Omara Apitta, a member of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), said they have already visited various police stations over the claims.
Mr Omara Apitta, who was speaking at a two-day meeting on the status of human rights in Uganda in Kampala on Friday, said: “The Commission became interested in the matter after cases of [human rights] violation were reported, and as I speak, we have visited various police stations, including the [Kampala] Central Police Station, and Jinja Road Police Station, among others. We shall continue to follow up and ascertain the truth.”
Security forces react
But Mr Kituuma Rusoke, the police spokesperson, yesterday said such incidents did not happen and challenged the victims to table formal complaints instead of running to social media.
“They [complainants] chose to go on Twitter and as police we have never received any complaint. But what I know is that most of the suspects who were arrested that day were taken to court except a few,” he said
He added: “Secondly, the nature of our detention facilities can’t give room for such molestation. Remember there are other suspects and we don’t have special rooms, but if it happened, it is incumbent upon that person to come and report then we take it on instead of running to Spire. As of now, we don’t have any formal complaints anywhere. They should do so, so that we are held accountable for failing to act instead of just alleging.”
Similarly, Col Deo Akiiki, the deputy spokesperson of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, said: “Any issue concerning protests, which is a civil matter, is led by police, the army just comes in to give a helping hand. No suspect was detained in our premises, therefore, I implore you to contact the police spokesperson for anything.”
Dr John Kamya, the head of curriculum and doctrine development at Uganda Police, said the police would continue blocking the protests because the organisers did not follow the law.
“The Right to expression is there but must be enjoyed within the confines of the law. They must be regulated; freedom of expression is not absolute and is regulated by the law in the Public Order Management Act, 2013.
“Both the rights holders have duty and responsibilities for example in this case, the demonstrators were supposed to notify the police of their demonstration, the dates, time, routes but police did not get any of these notifications,” he said.
But Ms Margaret Sekaggya, the executive director of Human Rights Centre Uganda, who spoke at the same meeting, said: “We are deeply concerned about the government’s response to citizen’s demands for a better Uganda in the course of exercising their civic duty. The immediate release of all detained protesters (young citizens) who have been arbitrarily arrested by the police and remanded by the courts, the government should reaffirm its commitment to national, regional, and international obligations to protect freedom of expression, speech, assembly, and association.”
Other voices
The allegations that some of the suspects were sodomised also attracted the attention of other organisations, who condemned it.
“Several young people-anti-corruption protesters, who were violently arrested this week, have spoken of how they were raped (sodomised) by the men who took them. Many of the NUP/ People Power supporters who have been abducted in the past were raped in detention - both male and female. Only a few of them had the courage to publicly speak about their ordeal. Very many of them have reported to us but fear or feel ashamed to speak about it in public,” National Unity Platform (NUP) party president Robert Kyagulanyi [aka Bobi Wine], posted on his official social handles.
The executive director of the African Centre for Treatment and Rehabilitation of torture victims (ACTV), Mr Samuel Nsubuga, said they would obtain permission and commence their own probe into the matter.
“The only body that can access prisons without any permission is UHRC, but for us, we have to first obtain permission to enter the prisons, we have to get a court order by a judge and go. Before that, we cannot enter prisons without that permission,” he said.
Gen Zs respond
A day after President Museveni condemned the protests and congratulated the security forces for containing the protests, which the organisers say will continue until their seven demands are fulfilled, the faceless protesters responded in a July 25 statement.
“We don’t need foreign funding to recognise that corruption has consumed all institutions, including healthcare, education, infrastructure, and public service. We don’t need funding to understand that the majority of taxes collected from citizens only enrich a few individuals.
“In fact, the current leadership in the country resembles modern slavery, where the state has enslaved its people,” the statement circulating on social media read in part.
“We remain steadfast in our commitment to non-violent resistance and will pursue our struggle through peaceful means.”
