By Spy Uganda
A team of budding politicians under their umbrella group Youth Opposition League, have condemned the arrest and torture of Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament Francis Zaake, and ordered police to release him unconditionally or else they will stage protests demanding for his release.
The Youth Opposition League, led by Abubaker Matanda (ANT), Mulindwa Walid Lubega, the FDC National Youth League Chairman, Nanyonjo Lynnet, the PPP National Youth Leader and others, have since released a statement which we reproduce verbatim below;
JOINT COMMUNIQUE OF UGANDA’S OPPOSITION POLITICAL YOUTH LEADERS, OVER THE TORTURE, AND FLAGRANT INFRINGEMENT OF HON. FRANCIS ZAAKE BUTEBI’S HUMAN RIGHTS.
Thursday, 30th April 2020,
Kampala Uganda.
We the undersigned Youth League leaders, of opposition political parties in Uganda, are concerned by the continued arrest without trial, torture and mistreatment of Hon. Francis Zaake Butebi, the Mityana Municipality Member of Parliament, who doubles as the People Power Youth Wing leader.
We notice that security agencies have made it a tradition to arrest without trial, and torture suspects many of whom are political leaders, youth and activists, the latest being Hon. Zaake who was arrested and spent a week in detention, a violation of the mandatory legal 48 hours a suspect can be under the custody of police before committal to Court.
The mistreatment of Hon. Zaake is not only a matter of human rights violation but also an act of “ATTEMPTED MURDER” on his life basing on the condition in which he was brought to Mityana Magistrates Court. He looked frail, in bitter pain and unconscious, with wounds all over his body, a clear sign of severe torture.
It’s unfortunate that Police stations have been turned into dens of torture. We however wish to remind government that even within this period of lockdown, the Constitution and human rights reign supreme, and must be respected by all, including the security agencies.
We therefore condemn in the strongest terms possible the continued impunity and breach of the Constitution and human rights and demand that:
1. Security agencies particularly police, Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) and Internal Security Organisation (ISO) desist from illegally arresting and torturing youth, other political leaders and activists.
2. The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) prevails over and takes keen interest in the human rights violations taking place during the lockdown, and expedites a process of dispensing justice to all the aggrieved parties more particularly Hon. Zaake who was arrested and tortured to near death.
UHRC should also reign over the conduct of security Agencies over their high handedness in handling suspects.
3. Parliament of Uganda takes interest in the recent conduct and acts of torture by overzealous security agencies even against their fellow colleagues like Hon. Zaake and many fellow Ugandans.
In view of the above, we are considering prosecution against individual security officers involved in the torture of our colleagues. More particularly, we intend to reach out to the Hon. Zaake after recuperating from his acute health situation, as part of fact a finding mission to ascertain the security personals who abated this torture expedition on him to facilitate Court action individually as per the Anti-Torture Act and other laws of the land.
Lastly, we call upon fellow Ugandans to stand up and be counted against these acts of gross human rights violation, torture and attempted murder on the life of Hon. Zaake and other peaceful Ugandans. We must stand up and end this vice which is eating up the moral fabric and credibility of our security agencies.
As we fight the deadly Covid-19 which we are about to successfully edge out, we are facing a brutal virus of State inspired torture and human rights violation by our security agencies, which are constitutionally mandated and facilitated to protect people’s lives and their property. In taking part in this struggle, we shall have a peaceful Country in which we shall live in.
For God and our Country
Signed:
OPPOSITION YOUTH LEAGUE LEADERS;
1. Mr. Matanda Abubaker, ANT National Youth Coordinator (0702286967).
2. Mr. Mulindwa Walid Lubega, FDC National Youth League Chairman (0701601094).
3. Mr. Okidi Christopher, DP National Youth Leader (0777367736).
4. Ms. Nanyonjo Lynnet, PPP National Youth Leader (0703768076).
5. Mr. Musoke Solomon, CP National Youth Leader (0704690502).
6. Mr. Musanje Haroona, JEEMA Youth League G. Secretary (0702805828).
