Kyagulanyi Withdraws 2018 Canceled Music Concerts Complaint from UHRC over Delayed, Biased Services

The Principal of National Unity Platform (NUP) Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu has withdrawn the complaints for the violation of his rights he filed to the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) over five years when security agencies blocked over 20 of his music concerts.

Kyagulanyi says that on December 7, 2018, security agencies confiscated their music equipment and denied several people their right to earn a living, just because of his political affiliation.

While appearing before the commission on Monday, after his summoning for the hearing of the case to take its course more than five years ever since he filed it, Kyagulanyi said that the Constitution of Uganda provides for the right to a fair hearing, where a person is entitled for a fair, speedy and public hearing before an independent and impartial court or tribunal.

He however showed dismay saying that the very Commission which is empowered by the Constitution to protect constitutional rights is the one violating them.

“How can a complaint regarding human rights violations take more than five years to be heard? Madam Chairperson, what kind of Commission are you presiding over? Over time, many other atrocities and grave human rights violations have been meted out on many supporters of the political party I lead, the National Unity Platform (NUP),” he said.

He has highlighted some of the violations as follows; “arbitrary arrests, extra-judicial killings, detentions without trial, torture, rape and sodomy in detention, trial of civilians in military courts on trumped up charges, and enforced disappearances. Today, some of our supporters who were abducted by security, are still missing and unaccounted for three or four years.”

Kyagulanyi has added that some of the above complaints have reached the Commission, but the security agencies have continued to commit them against Ugandans with impunity!

“To our disappointment, we have not only seen inaction by this Commission against the perpetrators: but we have also heard public statements from the leadership of this Commission, not only mocking the victims, but also attributing the blame entirely on them. Madam Chairperson, you yourself have shamelessly told the mothers, spouses and children of our missing persons that their missing loved ones were ghosts!”

He added that because of those circumstances, their confidence in this Commission is gravely shaken.

He also continued to accuse the Commission, saying that though it was put in place to protect rights and freedoms, it has turned out to be an accomplice in the gross violations that have come to define the nation.

“The Commission lacks the competence, the independence and the impartiality required of it to resolve this complaint. It is a mockery that this complaint is being heard more than 5 years later, before a specialized tribunal which is supposed to be faster than a court of law,” he said adding;

“The hearing this morning is only intended to sanitize the criminality and disregard of the law. Nothing meaningful can come out of this hearing. Justice Delayed is Justice Denied! Because of that. I hereby withdraw the complaint we filed over five years ago for the reasons mentioned above.”

In a conclusion, Kyagulanyi said: “In my view, this Commission has serious reflection to make, and decide whether it intends to serve the people of Uganda or to continue serving the interests of Gen. Museveni and his military regime. Having said this, I beg to leave because I am not even sure of our safety here, seeing that you yourself. Recently said that some Members of this Commission possess and come to meetings with guns!”

The Uganda Human Rights Commission is headed by Mariam Fauzat Wangadya.

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