The Minister of State for Internal Affairs, Gen David Muhoozi, has been given a 30-day deadline to address allegations of human rights abuses and the diminishing civic space, as stated by the Leader of the Opposition (LoP), Mathias Mpuuga.
This directive was issued by the Deputy Speaker, Thomas Tayebwa, during a plenary session on October 19, 2023.
Tayebwa’s decision followed Mpuuga’s response to the Minister’s statement made on October 17, 2023. The Deputy Speaker requested the LoP to provide the Minister with the relevant information by the next day and indicated that the Minister would be required to respond with clear details.
Mpuuga rejected the Minister’s statement, asserting that it was an effort to justify repression and suppress political dissent in the country.
He urged the August House to reject the statement, emphasizing the need for accountability in the alleged murder of 22 National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters during the 2021 campaign.
Mpuuga also highlighted the government’s failure to provide accountability and justice for 18 individuals missing for almost four years, allegedly taken by state security agencies.
He criticized the arbitrary arrests and detention of Ugandans without trial over the past three years, citing over 500 NUP supporters arrested in 2021 on various charges.
In response, Minister Muhoozi claimed that he couldn’t address the issues raised by the LoP because they were subjudice.
He acknowledged that the response might be unsatisfactory but emphasized the existence of avenues for accountability, expressing the government’s commitment to ensuring civic space for the opposition and all citizens, within the framework of the rule of law and constitutionalism.
