Abuse Of Power By US Ally, Gen. Museveni

We take this matter of the police acting on political directives to harass opponents of Gen. Museveni, very seriously. Let there be no doubt whatsoever that the days of impunity in Uganda are over.

[Op-Ed: Global]

Political Repression: Washington’s Despotic Africa Ally

Mr. Robert Kanusu, a member of the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) national leadership team and media liaison, was arrested and detained by police in Jinja, on 26th June 2010.

Mr. Kanusu was a panelist on a regular radio talk show at Apex FM, a local radio station in Jinja, on which he has regularly appeared. And on that particular day Kanusu’s comments included the alarming human rights violations in Karamoja, the mystery of child sacrifice and the arrest of National Social Security Fund Director David Jamwa.

We understand a police officer burst into the studio to arrest him while the program was in progress, but Mr. Kanusu refused to go  with him. When the program ended at 9:00 AM, Mr. Kanusu received information that the District Police Commander (DPC) wanted him to report to  Jinja Central Police Station (CPS). At around 9:30 AM a contingent of police officers, led by Criminal Investigative Department (CID)  officer Ivan Kimalyo, arrested Mr. Kanusu at gunpoint and took him to CPS, Jinja.

We learnt that he was interrogated for several hours in the presence of Christopher Kubai, the Regional Police Commander (RPC);  Jonathan  Musinguzi, the DPC; and assortments of personnel from CID and other security outfits of the state before he was locked up at Nalufenya  police station.

We have also learnt that he was apparently charged with uttering seditious statements against Gen. Yoweri Museveni and the National Resistance Movement (NRM) government.

Our position on this matter is as follows:

1. This is clearly the old tactics of the abuse of power and the misuse of the police to harass and intimidate political 
opponents who dare to criticize government on matters of national importance.

2. We in UPC, shall not be intimidated. We will continue with our vigorous efforts to exercise our rights, defend the rights of 
Ugandan citizens to freedom and to identify, expose and eventually bring to account those who allow themselves to be used as  instruments of political persecution and victimization.

3. UPC holds the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Gen. Kale Kayihura, Christopher Kubai, Jonathan Musinguzi, Ivan Kimalyo, Nalufenya Station Commander Ssemwogerere and the arresting officers individually and severally responsible for this act of abuse and persecution.

4. UPC demands that Mr. Kanusu be released forthwith and if the IGP and the Director of Public Prosecutions believe he has a case to  answer, let them prosecute him before the courts of law.

5. We take this matter of the police acting on political directives to harass opponents of Gen. Museveni, very seriously. Let 
there be no doubt whatsoever that the days of impunity in Uganda are over.

Nuwagaba Moses is the Deputy Spokesman of UPC, the Ugandan opposition party

“Speaking Truth To Empower.”

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