On 'I demand justice or death'

The attention of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has been drawn to a news article authored by Mr. Vincent Nuwagaba titled ‘As a Ugandan citizen, I demand justice or death’ posted on the Pambazuka News and All Africa Websites. The article makes various allegations against a number of agencies among which were those against the Uganda Human Rights Commission. The Uganda Human Rights Commission therefore wishes to make the following clarifications as far as Mr. Vincent Nuwagaba’s allegations are concerned:

On 8 February 2012 Mr. Vincent Nuwagaba came in without invitation for a closed UHRC Annual Report Consultative Meeting at the Commonwealth Speke Resort Hotel in Munyonyo, Kampala. We could have allowed him to stay but he behaved in a disruptive manner by walking right to the front of the room, sitting down and shouting during the presentations. Ms. Roselyn Karugonjo-Segawa, Chairperson of the session politely requested him to leave the meeting but he refused. He sent her a note saying that even if she called the Inspector General of Police and the President of Uganda, he would not budge. He shouted that he had information to provide regarding Police misconduct. His conduct prompted Mr. J.K Zirabamuzale of Uganda Prisoners Aid Foundation to speak to him and they walked out of the room. The management of the UHRC, the Head and Staff of the Office of UN OHCHR, members of civil society and the Police were in that meeting and witnessed everything. The session continued but Mr. Gordon Mwesigye, the Secretary and other staff went out of the room to follow Vincent. When Vincent came out of the room he became violent and threatened the Secretary, Mr. Gordon Mwesigye and other staff of the UHRC. The Hotel Security picked him up and took him to Kabalagala Police Station. When he got to the Police Station, he took off his clothes prompting Police to refer him to Butabika Mental Hospital.

On 31 March 2012 he came to the UHRC offices at about 11:00am. He loudly threatened and insulted Ms. Karugonjo-Segawa. When he was questioned about his complaint, he spoke in a confused and incoherent manner. He complained about the NRM government and how they had destroyed his life and how he would have had a PhD by now, etc. When he was asked to leave the UHRC premises he threatened violence against the security (Police) at the premises and attempted to fight them. He was later taken to Central Police Station. However, the UHRC requested that he should not be incarcerated since he appears to be mentally unstable and with signs of delusions. It is the view of most of the people who know Vincent and work closely with him as a human rights defender that he urgently needs mental health care because he has been behaving strangely in the recent past.

Unfortunately, Vincent alleges that UHRC officials Mr. Gordon Mwesigye and Ms. Roselyn Karugonjo-Segawa ordered the Police to torture him. Although these allegations have been published on Pambazuka News and other blogs, the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) would like to clarify that the allegations are false, unfounded and unfortunate. The Uganda Human Rights Commission staff never ordered and cannot order the Police to subject any one to torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment and least of all Mr. Vincent Nuwagaba whose condition is well known to us and most of the human rights defenders in Kampala. We are well aware that Vincent has been in and out of Butabika Mental Hospital in Kampala on account of his mental condition.
We therefore wish to re-assure the public that the Uganda Human Rights Commission is fully committed to the fulfillment of its mandate to promote and protect human rights including protection of all Ugandans from torture, cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment as clearly laid down in the 1995 Constitution of the Republic of Uganda.

Florence M. Munyirwa, Public Affairs Manager, Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC)

10 April 2012