Police, army are the top human rights violators in Uganda - UHRC report

In its 24^th annual report on the state of human rights and freedoms in the country in the year 2021, 354 human rights violation complaints were filed against police and 135 were filed against the UPDF.

“There was a 13% increase in the number of complaints registered against police from 308 in 2020 to 354 in 2021. The highest number of complaints against police was registered at Hoima regional office at 83 cases, Soroti regional office with 81 cases. The highest number of complaints against the UPDF was registered at the Moroto regional office with 39 complaints followed by the central regional office with 33 complaints,” reads the report.

According to the report, private individuals came third in the categories of people involved in violations of human rights. This category was followed by Uganda Prisons Service, Uganda Wildlife Authority and local governments respectively.

Nature of violations

The report states that the highest occurrences of violations against police involved the infringement of the right to personal liberty with 200 complaints, this was followed by the alleged violation of the right to freedom from torture with 107 complaints against the police.

The report recorded violations committed by the UPDF which involved the violation of the right to freedom from torture with 80 cases, this was followed by the violation of the right to personal liberty.

When it comes to torture as well as cruel and unusual punishment, this was listed as the biggest human rights violation registered by the government body in 2021.

This was followed by deprivation of personal liberty, denial of child maintenance, deprivation of life, deprivation of property, deprivation of security, forced disappearance and denial of right to fair hearing among others.

What the UHRC commissioner says

The UHRC chairperson, Mariam Wangadya, said such violations accrued from the 2021 general election where violence was pervasive.

“Whenever there is election period, the number of crimes also goes up in relations to election. Also Covid is to blame for the increase in the number of cases registered,” Wangadya said.

“As a commission we reiterate our commitment to protecting and promoting human rights for all Ugandans. The rights of all Ugandans matter to us, including those of suspects of crime but I hasten to add that rights of victims of crime are equally important. It is therefore my call to us all to encourage a culture of tolerance and respect for all, even those we may not agree with.”

Army responds

Maj Gen Henry Matsiko, the Chief Political Commissar of the UPDF, defended security forces saying the report was a case of overkill.

“We are not angels but human beings who are operating on earth and not in heaven. As the UPDF, we are champions of human rights because it is the background of liberation. We can’t be the same force perpetuating violation,” Matsiko said.

He said the security forces work in close harness with the commission to tamp down any said violations.

“The commission chairperson was very clear that most time they receive complaints, by the time they go to crosscheck, they find the UPDF and Police leaderships have taken steps to apprehend errant officers and men and taken appropriate measures to punish the offenders.”

“Our code of conduct is clear and prohibits anything to do with offending the rights of the people. We are not allowed to abuse, provoke, insult or beat the civilians. We are popularizing this code. We have taken part in compensation of victims of human rights violations.”

The report is the latest splash in a pool of complaints against the security forces in Uganda.