MP Zaake has severally been tortured
Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka has said that although Government spent Shs3.5Bn in compensating victims of human rights violations in one year, the level of human rights violations isn’t worrisome.
He made the remarks while appearing before Parliament’s Human Rights Committee that is investigating cases of torture, forced disappearances and death of Ugandans at hands of security forces.
“The enforcement of human rights awards is often a protracted process that is subject to availability of funds for payment of awards. This notwithstanding the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs paid out compensation awards amounting to Shs3.52bn to victims of human rights violations,” said Kiwanuka.
The Attorney General however said that in the last year, he hasn’t received any notice to compensate victims of human rights violations, which means the current state of human riots violations isn’t worrisome.
“There have been many complaints of human rights violations and the trend isn’t worrisome, yes there are some failings but we aren’t at that point where we say the state has collapsed and we will not get there,” said Kiwanuka.
His remarks infuriated Francis Mwijukye (Buhweju County), who wondered if Government is waiting for many Ugandans to die before they acknowledge the crisis created by human riots violations.
“You say we aren’t at the level where we say the state has collapsed, so are you waiting to get there so that we can make some noise?” asked Mwijukye.
The Attorney General also blamed the November 2020 riots on the defiance and impunity of politicians, saying the riots weren’t peaceful and were premeditated.
“The events of November 2020 were not peaceful demonstrations or assemblies but rather violent, premeditated and organized riots. As I am sure you are aware the defiance of some of the political leaders to observe Covid-19 measures accounts for the riots,” said Kiwanuka.
He added that the display of impunity and violence culminated into the violent riots of November 2020 which was a danger to security and stability of Uganda and its citizens.
According to the Attorney General, 56 people lost their lives during the riots and his office has initiated discussions with families of the victims for compensation purposes.
“Some that have gone to court and filed suits, we have reached out to them because if a person died and we are at fault, the Attorney General’s office isn’t in the business of arguing for the sake of it, where we have found we were at fault, we have reached out to them and started a conversation and we have actually reached out and actually compensated some,” said Kiwanuka.
He however said that his office will defend Government if some of the victims were found to be at fault.
He said that the riots led to the arrest of 1,088 suspects and 286 cases were registered by Police and of these, 198 were taken to court and 66 secured convictions and 50 cases were dismissed by court and 82 cases are still ongoing.
Mwijukye also asked the Attorney General to stop lamenting about how they condone torture instead of identifying and prosecuting perpetrators of human riots violations.
“I continue to hear statements like government doesn’t condone torture but why is it very difficult to identify those wrong elements within security who are torturing Ugandans,” he said.
In response, Kiwanuka said they have identified the security officers behind the torture of Ugandans at November riots and promised to furnish the Committee with the names of the officials.
