The Leader of Opposition, Mathias Mpuuga has rubbished the report presented to parliament by the Minister of Internal Affairs on the opposition supporters who have been missing without race.
Responding to the report, Mpuuga told parliament on Tuesday that the report by government has persistently taken a defensive approach to matters in which it is supposed to take the lead role in investigating and finding redress to the public outcry.
“It is not right and proper for the government to merely dismiss issues, summarily, without giving due regard to the overwhelming evidence presented in different fora,”Mpuuga said.
The LOP said government has failed to conduct investigations into the missing persons yet it is its duty to do so.
He mentioned John Ddamulira, John Bosco Kibalama, Denis Wangolo and Ssemuddu Michael Jackson as some of the cases of the missing persons that he said depict glaring contradictions in the statement presented by the Minister vis-à-vis statements obtained from Police, witnesses and other state departments.
Mpuuga also accused government of deliberately failing to prosecute errant officers involved in the abuse of citizens’ human rights ,noting that this in itself shows no good will on the side of government.
Demands
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament demanded that all political prisoners are released by government.
“We demand for an immediate unconditional release of all political prisoners rotting in numerous jails and illegal detention facilities without trial. Non-trial of these cases is a clear indication of lack of
evidence on the side of the government, and a red flag that these persecutions are intended to shrink the civic space further and criminalise association with the opposition in our country,”Mpuuga said.
He urged that these are prisoners of conscience who should not be used as a bargaining tool for the ruling party to suffocate civic space, and desire to settle outstanding political questions.
“The Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs should explain to the nation under which law the government is charging the citizens with the offence of subversive activities.”
Mpuuga also called for the establishment of a judicial commission of inquiry to investigate these human rights violations.
“We propose that the said Commission of Inquiry be chaired by a judge of the High Court. We believe that the commission will be endowed with the authority, independence, and resources necessary to uncover the truth, to hold those responsible accountable, and to ensure that justice prevails.”
