The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Legal Aid Service Providers Network Uganda-LASPNET wants Uganda Law Society and Uganda Law Council to convene an extraordinary meeting of all lawyers to discuss the rule of law in the country.
Addressing journalists at the LASPNET secretariat in Kampala over the weekend regarding the violence in the ongoing campaigns, Sylvia Namubiru, the Executive Director read a statement from the Legal Provider’s Network directed at the President and various government agencies and diplomats.
She has warned that the brutality directed at the opposition and their supporters by security organs undermines the principle of democracy. Namubiru said there is need for Uganda Law Society and Uganda Law Council to convene a meeting to agree on collective action to avert the danger of failure to observe rule of law in Uganda.
She also called on the head of state and Commander in Chief of the armed forces to direct security forces to refrain from the use of excessive force in policing the ongoing campaigns. Namubiru appealed to the President to take measures to promote peaceful dialogue of all actors in the current electoral process.
The 19 legal providers have called on the speaker to convene an emergency session to discuss the prevailing situation concerning election and for parliament to make resolutions to guide the Electoral Commission and security forces. She also appealed to the Chief justice Alphonse Owiny Dollo to exercise his constitutional mandate and speak to the protagonists in the electoral process to respect the laws of the land and prevail over judicial officers handling cases of violence to dispose of them expeditiously to ensure that the victims get justice.
She has also urged the chairperson of the Electoral Commission, Justice Simon Byabakama to take charge of the electoral process by intervening in the electoral violence in a timely manner. The statement also called for intensifying civic education campaigns to advocate for peace and harmony and take all appropriate measures to avert election violence.
Heads of embassies, delegations and diplomatic missions have been implored to use their comparative advantage to appeal to the electoral commission, security forces and all actors to observe and practice international standards in elections in addition to holding them accountable to international conventions for which Uganda s is a signatory.
To the Uganda Human Rights Commission the Legal Providers have asked the body to condemn the ongoing election violence and document and provide a report to parliament detailing the violation of human rights and make appropriate recommendations to the various actors.
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Whereas the concerns of Sylvia Namubiru may be relevant, she seems to be biased towards looking at the government side. She seems not bothered about the lawlessness and mayhem caused by rioters in the recent chaos that befell our country leaving many lives lost, property destroyed, many injured, property robed, leading to a state of apprehension in the country. It has now emerged that one of the presidential candidates has openly owned these goons that carried the mayhem as his supporters including those caught on camera robbing women, attacking a uniformed police officer on duty with a hammer. Madam Sylvia Namubiru, if you are going to be taken seriously, please let your scope look at everything, and apportion blame appropriately. Otherwise, you will be looked at as yet another agent in cohort with some political groups, working for hefty cheque.