By Male Deogratius alias Omusawo Tintah
President Yoweri Kagutta Museveni during the late. Former chief justice Benedicto Kiwanuka’s Memorial Lecture at High Court Building renewed his decade-old push to scrap bail for suspected capital offenders which to me is ideally aimed at tormenting his political opponents.
For a number of years now, president Museveni’s government has turned it into a habit to charge those it considers to be is rivals with capital offenses which include among others Rape, murder, and treason and funding terrorist activities.
Some of the politicians that have been charged with capital offenses include Dr. Kizza Besigye, the four time presidential candidate and close rival of the president who has been charged with over 100 treason cases but has never been convicted of any. And this is well captured in the Guinness world record.
Just recently, when now the leading opposition strong man, former presidential candidate and National Unity Platform president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine started showing interest of standing for presidency, He was charged with treason charges before the military court with allegations that he was found in position of ammunitions and military store in Gulu district, where his driver Yasin Kawuma was shot dead and severe of his supporters left severe injured and some in detained. However along the way the state lost interest in the case.
Other cases in point include that of the Busiro East Hon. Medard Lubega Ssegona who was charged of recruiting rebels in Durban South Africa on a day that turned out to be his wedding day and not forgetting the arrest of almost the entire Bobi Wine campaign team in Kalangala and slapped with treason charges though the case is still before the military courts.
President Museveni renewed push to scrap bail for the suspected capital offenders at a time when opposition National Unity Platform legislator Ssegirinya Muhammad and Allan Ssewanyana representing Kawempe North and Makindye West are battling murder charges may affirm my suspicion of keeping his rivals in detention by slapping such charges on them.
Article 20 of the constitution which contains the fundamental rights and other human rights, makes it clear that such rights are inherent and not granted by state. However article 23 of the constitution addresses the right to bail and the procedures that must be followed.
Doesn’t it trickle you why president Museveni is bothered about bail when it is not automatic granted. It is applied for and the discretion is in the hands of the trial judge grant it or not.
The court has had many incidences where the learned justices deny suspected capital offenders bail. Case in point include that of the leader of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) Jamil Mukulu, the fallen AIGP Andrew Felix Kaweesi and fallen deputy director of public prosecution Joan Kagezi suspected killers, who included even the leader of Tablique muslim sect Amir Umah Yunus Kamoga.
Fact is Museveni’s hidden agenda in pushing for scrapping bail for capital offenders is to use it punish his political opponents with long imprisonment before justice prevails. And this must be resisted by all right thinking Ugandans since no one knows when his turn will come.
The author Male Deogratius alias Omusawo Tintah is a journalist, entrainment radio presenter, passionate about the matters of human rights and keen on matters of national importance.
