During a memorial mass held at Lubaga Cathedral to honor the memory of the late Benedicto Kiwanuka, Uganda's first indigenous Chief Justice, Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, criticized President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni's moral authority to condemn past governments for human rights violations. Mpuuga argued that Museveni's own government has been involved in actions that raise serious questions about its commitment to human rights.
Benedicto Kiwanuka, Chief Justice in 1972, is believed to have been abducted and subsequently murdered during the government of the time. Mpuuga noted that, despite the passage of over 50 years, the same issues persist in Uganda today.
"As we remember the late Chief Justice, it is disingenuous of the current regime to criticize Idi Amin's government for Ben Kiwanuka's disappearance and murder," Mpuuga declared during the memorial mass. "What the NRM (National Resistance Movement) is doing differently is abducting ordinary citizens because of their political affiliation."
Mpuuga went on to point out that it has been 51 years since Benedicto Kiwanuka's disappearance and 4 years, 3 months, 3 weeks, and 5 days since the enforced disappearances of opposition supporters, including figures like John Bosco Kibalama, John Damulira, Muhammad Kanatta, and many others.
"These actions leave the current regime with no moral authority to condemn past governments for the very violations it is committing," Mpuuga asserted.
The issue of abductions in Uganda has long been a cause for concern, dating back to 1964 during the leadership of Milton Obote. The nation has a history of political turmoil, with abductions used as a tactic to silence opposition figures and intimidate activists across various government administrations.
Members of the opposition have been particularly vulnerable to abductions and torture, with many political prisoners currently incarcerated. This situation has stirred memories of the dark days of the 1970s in Uganda when such practices were prevalent, leading to renewed calls for greater respect for human rights and the rule of law.
