In a significant development, the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Among, has suggested a meeting with President Yoweri Museveni to address the mounting concerns raised by Opposition legislators. The primary focus of the discussion revolves around the forced disappearance of citizens and alleged human rights violations.
Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, presented a set of four fresh demands to the government on Tuesday. Among these demands, Mpuuga urged the unconditional release of all political prisoners and the establishment of a Commission of Inquiry to investigate the disappearance of 18 supporters of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party, who have been missing since 2021.
Furthermore, Mpuuga called for the formation of a Select Committee in Parliament to investigate reported cases of rape and defilement. He also emphasized the transfer of individuals facing unlawful trials before the Court Martial, despite a 2021 ruling by the Constitutional Court outlawing such trials.
Gen. David Muhoozi, the Minister of State for Internal Affairs, responded to the Opposition's claims, citing inconsistencies in the reported numbers and testimonies related to the missing persons. He explained the challenges faced by the government in investigations, as the next of kin of the alleged missing persons have reportedly declined to provide statements to the police.
In a commitment to address the concerns raised by the Opposition, Deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi announced plans to convene a meeting with top judiciary leadership. This meeting will include Chief Justice Alfonse Owiny-Dollo and the Director of Public Prosecutions, among others, to review cases that have exceeded the 48-hour constitutional remand requirement.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), in its annual report released on October 11, 2023, revealed that it has resolved to close 18 files related to the missing NUP party supporters due to an inability to trace them.
Speaker Among has proposed a meeting with President Museveni to discuss the prolonged detention of suspects and has deferred the determination of the four Opposition demands. She expressed the intention to address these concerns after a scheduled meeting with the Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission on the coming Monday. The meeting is expected to involve Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and Leader of the Opposition Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba to find a constructive way forward in resolving the impasse.
