Museveni “Grateful” To Army Commanders For Job Well Done During Elections
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni applauded top security chiefs in the country for effectively overseeing the just concluded elections.
The President held a closed-door meeting with his top army and police commanders and thanked service commanders, division commanders, commanders of motorized units and independent units, local newspaper The Daily Monitor reports»
Military spokesperson Brig Flavia Byekwaso acknowledged that the meeting took place, adding that “the details are not for everyone to know.”
The country’s security operatives are on spot at home and internationally for gross human rights violations linked to the January 14 polls.
Activists and local press have continued to show videos and pictures of kidnapped civilians tortured and severely injured with some wailing families alleging murder of their loved ones at the hands of state tormentors.
The United States State Department said it is looking at “a range of targeted options” to hold accountable those who it deemed responsible for abuses against opposition candidates and civil society, spokesman Ned Price said.
In November 2020, security shot and killed about 60 people as they protested the arrest of Presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, who was Museveni’s main challenger.
Museveni won with 58% of the vote. Wine, who took 34% of the vote, has rejected the official outcome as fraudulent and insists he will use all legal means to protest the allegedly “cooked-up” results.
Wines political party, the National Unity Platform (NUP) claims around 3,000 of his supporters had been detained or abducted by state agents since the November protest.
Security personnel have appeared around the country in unmarked minivans and taken people to unknown locations.
The families of those kidnapped say the abductees were beaten before being forced into vehicles and driven away.
Some of the victims are reportedly freed or abandoned on streets and gardens unconscious with severe wounds and signs of torture.
Addressing the country last month, Museveni acknowledged that over 318 ‘domestic terrorists’ have been arrested since November 2020. He said security organs will produce a list of the suspects.
“Security people should make this information available to the public so that this talk of disappearance is answered,” Museveni said.
That list is yet to be seen.
National Assembly Speaker Rebecca Kadaga, on February 24, ordered the government through the Minister of Internal Affairs General Jeje Odong to table the list of citizens it is holding incommunicado.
Intransigent Odongo did not appear in the House for the sitting, prompting the Speaker to permit any MP with particulars of missing persons to produce them in Parliament.
NUP says close to 500 of its supporters were kidnapped and are being held arbitrary without trial.