Speaker, LoP meeting with human rights boss flops

Commissioners are members of UHRC who play several roles including recommending to Parliament effective measures to promote human rights such as including provision of compensation to victims who have been subjected to violations of human rights and their families.

Ms Among last week on Tuesday, during an afternoon plenary session, informed legislators of the meeting which would aim at addressing crucial concerns on human rights violations.

The Leader of Opposition in Parliament (LoP), Mr Mathias Mpuuga, who had also made an appearance at the anticipated meeting, attributed the failed meeting to the absence of human rights commissioners.

“The meeting did not take off. Whereas the chairperson [of UHRC] came with two technical staff, she did not come with her commissioners. From the communication, which I also received from the Speaker, the invitation was for her (chairperson) and her commissioners so that Parliament could have an understanding of where her dilemma is in making the necessary investigation,” Mr Mpuuga said.

He added: “She claimed her commissioners were up-country undertaking hearings, [so] they were not around. The Speaker advised that the meeting be held on another day before the week ends.”

Ms Wangadya preferred not to comment on the matter to journalists. 

Questions relating to missing Opposition supporters began surfacing before and continued during and after the 2021 elections, resulting in continuous blame games between the government and Opposition.

The Opposition lawmakers resorted to  boycotting plenary sittings over gross human rights abuse by State security organs blaming them for carrying out forceful abductions and killings of Opposition supporters.

They demanded that the government comes to Parliament and conclusively gives answers on the subject. 

But Speaker said lawmakers must get formal clearance from the House for any kind of absenteeism. She added that the Opposition legislators  boycotting plenary sittings be banned from attending committee meetings and going on foreign trips.

The Executive on Wednesday, November 29, finally responded to the concerns of missing Opposition supporters with Mr Mpuuga proceeding to give a rejoinder over the matter on Tuesday, December 5.

On the recent sanctions on Uganda’s Commissioner General of Prisons, Dr Johnson Byabashaija, by the United States Department of the Treasury over allegations in correctional facilities, Mr Mpuuga welcomed the development and hoped that those in authority could learn from it.

“We are part of the global family of humans and therefore, matters concerning Ugandans whose rights are being violated by people in positions of responsibility are very serious. The lesson that we learn from the sanctioning of the commissioner of prisons is that fissionable authority should be measured,” Mr Mpuuga said.

The details of Dr Byabashaija’s sanctions were contained in a December 8 statement where it is mentioned that ever since appointed as a prisons boss, staff of the Uganda Prisons Service have engaged in torture and other human rights violations against prisoners.  

“Clearly, we have seen people coming out of prison with torture marks, the media has been awash, especially last year, with torture victims being produced in court. Police or prisons has not come out to disown the torture or clearly spell out who is responsible for the torture,” Mr Mpuuga said. 

He added: “We welcome these sanctions. We hope they offer the necessary lessons so that human rights must be respected but also that suspects must be protected.”