In recent events, particularly during the Kawempe North bye-election, the actions of the Joint Anti-Terrorism Task Force (JATT) have raised alarming concerns regarding the conduct of security forces in our society.
Reports of brutality and intimidation against civilians by masked soldiers, devoid of identification, paint a troubling picture of law enforcement gone awry. This situation not only endangers the very fabric of our democracy but undermines the rule of law.
The essence of law enforcement lies in accountability to the public. Soldiers and police officers are not enforcers of their own will; they operate on behalf of the citizens they are sworn to protect.
When these operatives conceal their identities, they step into a dangerous territory where impunity thrives. The Human Rights Enforcement Act clearly stipulates that officers acting under unlawful orders can be held personally accountable for their actions.
Yet, the lack of transparency—exemplified by masked faces and the absence of name tags—creates an environment where unlawful actions can flourish without fear of repercussion. Identification is not merely a bureaucratic formality; it is a fundamental aspect of trust in the enforcement of laws.
Citizens have the right to know who is wielding power over them. When soldiers can operate anonymously, it sends a chilling message: those who are meant to protect us may also harm us without consequence.
This contradiction raises a critical question: if the actions taken by these soldiers are lawful, why the need for anonymity? This lack of accountability emboldens individuals to act without regard for the rights of others, perpetuating a cycle of violence and mistrust.
The increasing militarization of police forces, particularly in civilian contexts, poses a significant threat to human rights. Soldiers are trained for combat, not community policing.
Their presence should not invoke fear but, rather, a sense of safety. However, when they resort to violence under the pretext of maintaining order, it transforms them into instruments of terror rather than protectors of peace.
The brutalization of civilians during the Kawempe North bye-election is a stark reminder of the potential for abuse that arises when military forces are deployed without proper oversight.
It is imperative that the Uganda People’s Defence Force (UPDF) takes immediate measures to ensure that soldiers deployed in civilian areas are identifiable and held accountable for their actions.
The principle of transparency is not just an administrative necessity; it is a cornerstone of democratic governance. Failure to address these issues not only jeopardizes the rights of individuals but also tarnishes the reputation of our security forces.
The time for complacency is over; we must advocate for a security apparatus that respects human rights and upholds the rule of law. Our soldiers and police officers must operate not as faceless enforcers, but as accountable servants of the people. Only then can we begin to rebuild the trust that is essential for a just and equitable society.
Only criminals hide their identity.
In other words 39 years and counting, who in his/her right state of mind can still deny that: since the NRM leadership came to power through criminal means, it is a regime of criminals, by criminals and for criminals.
That is how and why the law enforcement officers (the Police and the military) conceal their identity; abduct; forcefully disappear; torture; commit inhumane violent crimes on Journalists and/or from 1981 through subversions, organized the murder of thousands of innocent Ugandans in Luweero, Greater Northern Uganda, Teso, Karamoja, Kasese and the Streets of Kampala, and blamed it on Obote, Amin and Tito Lutwa (all RIP).
Since 6th Feb 1981, for now 44 years and counting, the NRA/UPDF have never fought any foreign enemy. But it has been recruiting thousands of soldiers and stockpiling modern and sophisticated warfare arms to fight Ugandans.
And whenever the UPDF is deployed in a foreign land, it is either to pursue, hunt down and murder Ugandans wherever they have fled. Or it is deployed as mercenaries: to prop up a collapsing regime like the one of Somalia, Guinea, current South Sudan or topple other countries regime, like it happened in Rwanda and Zaire (DR Congo) from Oct 1990 through 1996 respectively.
E.g., without any declared “State of Emergency” situation, how can a state (leadership) that swore and owes its allegiance to fellow countrymen, women a children; roll out Armored Personnel Careers (Mamba) and terror on peaceful citizens who in a bi-election (Kawempe North), had gone to vote for candidates of choice, to replace the one who had for over two years suffered indefinite imprisonment without trial inhumanity and passed away due to the same vicious anti Ugandans regime.