A4C members to celebrate global police brutality day
SOURCE: THE DAILY MONITOR, 21 MARCH 2012
Members of Activists for Change hold placards in Kampala yesterday.
IN SUMMARY
Invited guest IGP Kale Kayihura has been invited to take part in the March 22 activities. Later, a petition will be presented to the Speaker of Parliament
Pressure group Activists for Change (A4C) yesterday unveiled a programme of activities to mark the International Day against Police Brutality.
First commemorated worldwide in 1997, the day is meant to draw attention to police brutality and acts as an opportunity to form and strengthen ties between groups that work directly or indirectly against State-inspired terror throughout the world.
The activities in Uganda will include the parading of torture victims and holding of a public dialogue tomorrow.
A petition to the Speaker of Parliament against police brutality will also be delivered.
A petition to the Speaker of Parliament against police brutality will also be delivered.
Kayihura invited
A4C officials yesterday said Police Chief Kale Kayihura has been invited to the dialogue.
A4C officials yesterday said Police Chief Kale Kayihura has been invited to the dialogue.
“An invitation has been dispatched to Uganda’s Inspector General of Police to be present during the dialogue, and to present the Uganda Police Force’s stand on police brutality,” A4C said in a statement yesterday.
In some countries, the statement said, police participate in activities to show their commitment to stamping out brutality within their ranks.
Other participants expected include Dr Kizza Besigye (FDC leader), Mr Asuman Basalirwa (current IPC chairperson), Mr Mike Mabikke (former Kampala mayor aspirant) and Mr Ken Lukyamuzi (CP), all of whom have been at the receiving end of brutal police attacks in recent months.
A4C said police brutality in Uganda is a well-documented phenomenon.
Programme coming later
Addressing the press at the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) offices in Kampala yesterday, Mr Francis Mwijukye, the FDC youth leader for Western Uganda, said communication would be made at a later date on the procedure of how and where the commemorations are to take place.
Addressing the press at the Inter-Party Cooperation (IPC) offices in Kampala yesterday, Mr Francis Mwijukye, the FDC youth leader for Western Uganda, said communication would be made at a later date on the procedure of how and where the commemorations are to take place.
“An awareness campaign against police brutality will be launched to be led by activists and civil society groups,” Mr Mwijukye said.
Meanwhile, rumour that Dr Besigye’s home had been surrounded by police nearly disrupted yesterday’s activities. Journalists who rushed to the FDC leader’s Kasangati residence, however, found no deployment contrary to earlier reports.
“First, I was told there were some policemen outside my home. Now, I see journalists here. No one has stopped me from going out. I was not intending on leaving my home today. I have a lot of work to finish and this is disrupting me,” Dr Besigye told journalists.
The Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Mr Ibin Ssenkumbi, later told this newspaper the deployment in and around the Kasangati area was in anticipation of chaos involving the persons intending to disrupt the operations of the Pioneer Easy Buses.
“We deployed to ensure there was no disruption of transport. It has nothing to do with Dr Besigye,” Mr Ssenkumbi said.
The June 2011 Uganda Human Rights Commission annual report ranked the Uganda Police the top human rights abuser for the third year running.
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