By Agencies
Washington: Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s International lawyer Robert Amsterdam has petitioned American president Donald Trump about human rights abuses in Uganda.
Amsterdam, an American lawyer who was barred from representing Bobi Wine in Uganda, claims in his petition that the rate of human rights abuse in Uganda is alarming and that all aid America is giving to the East African country should be revoked henceforth.
In his petition dated April 25th, 2019, addressed to President Donald Trump, drafted by Amsterdam & Partners LLP, Washington and London, Bobi Wine’s lawyer states thus;
Dear Mr. President,
We are writing to call your attention to the dire state of affairs in Uganda, a country sustained, in large part, by US financial aid and military
Support. Many regard Uganda as a bastion of democracy and stability in a troubled region. In reality, it is a military dictatorship in which the Ugandan Junta, under the direct control of President Yoweri Museveni, uses violence to terrorize civilians and suppress political dissent. Uganda has elections, courts and newspapers, but these function at the mercy of a powerful network of security agents that are intrumentalised to rig votes, override the decisions of judges and elected officials, arrest journalists and close NGOs that criticize the regime. These illegal actions fly in the face of Uganda’s constitution and its guarantees of freedom of assembly, association, peaceful demonstrations and the right to participate in the affairs of government. Indeed it was the actions of the Uganda government in April 2019 that prompted us to write this letter. Uganda police targeted our client, the hugely popular musician/Member of Parliament HE Robert Kyagulanyi AKA Bobi Wine, and his supporters, blocking his concert in Busabala-Wakiso district. In total, the government has blocked 124 concerts organised by Mr. Kyagulanyi , who uses his music to criticize government excesses. Police blocked a peaceful demonstration and threw teargas canisters to disperse the crowd. In the chaos that ensued, Mr. Kyagulanyi was once again, arrested violently. Sometime later, the musical festival’s organisers Andrew Mukasa and Abbey Musinguzi were arrested. Upon his release, Mr. Kyagulanyi and his family were held under house arrest, with access to his supporters limited at the whims and discretion of military police commanders operating outside the rule of law.”
Amsterdam also adds in his that; “ Recently, I was privileged to attend, with Mr Kyagulanyi, a meeting in Berlin wherein he outlined not only his program for Uganda’s future development, but his fears for the continuation of any form of opposition activity at the present moment in time. Mr President, in nineteen short months, the Ugandans will face the prospect of another staged election, rigged to defeat the expectations of the common man to achieve a voice in the affairs of their country. Mr Kyagulanyi and other opposition leaders are fighting for the rights of those people to be heard.”
The petition continues that;
“It is time for the United States to reconsider its relationship with Uganda. US military support has helped President Museveni to suppress the rule of law and has contributed to the persistence of the Ugandan Junta and their illegal aggression against citizens. A lasting peace in this troubled region of Africa can only be achieved through the free politics of a true democracy – something President Museveni will do anything to prevent. In light of this, it is clear that the United States must take immediate action to cut off military support to Uganda and to denounce the crimes committed by President Museveni’s regime. Most importantly, it is time for the United States and other Western donors to ensure that all aid, military and non-military, is conditional on the holding of free and fair elections. Ending the harassment of my client, Mr Kyagulanyi, would be an important first step.”
