By Hannah Marion Namukasa
Luta Ferdinand, the youth that took to Kampala road Street, with a bell and flogged President Yoweri Kagutta Museveni effigy last year on Feb 15 2021 along Entebbe road traffic lights has revealed the torture he endured from the time of his arrest up to his remand to Kitalya prison by the military court.
Among other things Luta says they made him go through is taking drugs, wrapping around him in a blanket before pouring mob water on him for over four consecutive days. “ When they arrested me they took me to Central Police Station Kampala but what shocked me most is that Special Forces Command officers stopped the DPC from proceeding with taking me to court and when he insisted he was made to sit down and that’s how ended up in Makidye Military Barrack.
In the barrack, they beat me as they questioned who sends me to do what am doing but the i emphasized to them that they can do whatever they want since I was already waiting for my death. This didn’t appease them saying that am big headed before making take substances that were like drugs, a 10 liter of water to dilute it. when that didn’t break my spirit and I refused to speak they wrapped a blanket around me which they termed as a “rolex” poured mob water on me for about four days in the morning, afternoon, evening and at night. As if this was not enough they brought a dry blanket with electric wires again they wrapped it around me but with God’s mercy it failed to work may be they wanted to electrocute me.
After the above failed they gave up on me and they took me to the Military NRA court, charged me with being in possession of military stores before remanding to Kitalya prison where they also left orders of not allowing anybody to see me just as it was the case at Makidye military barracks until my release this month” Said Luta
He added that at Kitalya he found over 300 political prisoners who were as well tortured but kept true to their cause thus urging the change seeking forces to unite and oust the sitting government.
Norman Tumuhimbise, the national coordinator of The Alternative Movement lashed at the judiciary especially the magistrates and judges who he accused of giving a deaf ear to the plight of the torture victims by further remanding them and denying them passport to seek medication abroad as was the case to the novelist Kakwenza Rukira Bashaija.
Robert Mayanja, a political and human rights activist decried the increasing habit that has turned out to be a norm by the Uganda People’s Defense Forces (UPDF) officers of peddling lies and being deceptive.
He asserts that the security officers have also turned themselves into judges after wrongly accusing those opposing the government.
It’s on the above note that he rallied all Ugandans to join hands and fight against the deceptive accusation, kidnap and torture by army officials.
In the same way, Sharon Kemigisha, the Woman councilor representing Wandegeya at Kawempe division urged the youths to put aside their political, religion and tribal difference and unite to redeem themselves from captivity, torture, and kidnap and also become the solution to their generation
It should be recalled Luta was arrest for beating President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s effigy accusing it of carrying out rampant kidnaps using drone vehicle and rigging the 2021 elections.
