Kizza Besigye has now lost four consecutive presidential elections to Yoweri Museveni
The United Nations Human Rights Council is today scrutinizing Uganda’s human rights record – a process known as the Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
This follows opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye’s reported presentation to the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva, Switzerland in October and discussions with Human Rights Watch (HRW), an American human rights body.
Besigye has repeatedly suffered different violations, which have been condemned even by the Uganda Human Rights Commission. UHRC is currently handling one of his many complaints, which it says if proven correct constitute a violation of at least 11 of his fundamental rights.
Maria Burnett HRW’s Associate Director, East Africa said that during its last review in 2011, Uganda agreed to take on a wide range of recommendations – including ensuring full respect for freedom of association and peaceful assembly, and investigating the excessive use of force and torture by security forces. It also pledged to prosecute and punish perpetrators.
Over the years, HRW has been vocal in its criticism of the government’s treatment of Besigye and general violation of human rights.
Bad record
In this year’s submission, the government declared it has made “tremendous progress in promoting respect for human rights,” listing its numerous human rights desks, committees, and subcommittees on human rights in different government offices.
The government’s UPR report claims the police’s disciplinary proceedings and Uganda’s Human Rights Commission are addressing police abuses, but there is little evidence of that.
President Yoweri Museveni has not had it easy since the February 18 elections which he extended his rule to 35 years.
His NRM government has repeatedly been criticised over its human rights record. Last year, the US State Department identified the three most serious human rights problems in Uganda to be: lack of respect for the integrity of the person, restrictions on civil liberties, and violence and discrimination against marginalised groups.
“President [Yoweri] Museveni’s actions contravene the rule of law and jeopardise Uganda’s democratic progress, threatening Uganda’s future stability and prosperity,” Samantha Power, the US Permanent Representative to the UN, told the Security Council on March 21, 2016.
