By Solomon Lubambula
Government has clarified that the deployment of security personnel at the residence of the National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu aims to prevent its use as a hub for public disorder.
This follows calls from the Leader of Opposition in Parliament for government to address issues arising before, during and after the recent general elections, including killings, issues of brutality, abductions of political figures and the continued sealing of Kyagulanyi’s home in Magere, Wakiso District by the security forces.
Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi reported that security forces have denied Kyagulanyi’s siblings access to the house and assaulted his wife and other occupants.
“The military was continuously descending on his home, raided it, broke into it, beat up his wife and family members. And the following day, the minister and other dignitaries were saying, no one is after this man, no one is above the law. If there is an offence that the honourable Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert is suspected of having committed, why don’t someone get to be issued to him? So that then, he’s able to show up and he’s charged.After, the minister again said, no, all is well, people can access. His siblings went there yesterday. And police officers, they said, we don’t have authority to allow anybody to access his place.I want to know, is it official that the honourable Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Robert is under house arrest? And for that matter, people cannot access his family?”-Ssenyonyi said
In response, State Minister for Internal Affairs Gen.David Muhoozi denied any abductions, stating that suspects are under lawful arrest and court procedures are ongoing.
Muhoozi emphasized that the home is not a prison but that security forces are deployed to maintain access control for security purposes.
“But I want to say that first of all, a prison presupposes that there are prisoners in a premise. That home is not a gazetted prison. The Honourable Kyagulanyi himself is not there, so I want to state categorically that that home is not a prison.There may be inconveniences, and security may have reasons for their presence there. I think those ones we can iron out, but the home of the Honourable Kyagulanyi is not a prison. Abductions, we don’t abduct, we arrest. If you breach the law, you get arrested, and we can account for all those people under custody. It may delay to be produced, but we don’t abduct as government”-Muhoozi said
Meanwhile Parliament has directed the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs to present a comprehensive statement explaining the performance of Bio-Voter Verification Kits during the general elections.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa ruled that the Justice ministry, which oversees the Electoral Commission, must clarify why the kits failed to function at various polling stations.
The directive followed the re-tabling of the issue by Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi, who argued that the kits, procured at a cost of nearly Shs400 billion, represented a waste of public resources since they did not serve their intended purpose.
He noted that the funds could have been used to improve social services delivery.
Ssenyonyi also questioned how the same kits that malfunctioned during the presidential and parliamentary elections later appeared to work during lower local government polls.
Tayebwa said the minister must provide clear answers to Parliament.
“On BVVK, the Minister for Justice should come and bring a formal statement. Because, you know, some of these things raised are so critical, you don’t need to just answer anyhow without very clear consultations. And I heard government was saying they are even doing investigations. So I think that would give them… No, it is under Electoral Commission. So it’s the Minister for Justice and Constitutional Affairs who is in charge of Electoral Commission, that should answer that one of the machines”-Tayebwa ruled
