Makerere University School of Law teaching staff have today afternoon released a statement on what they termed as “the current political crisis” in the country.
The statement that was assented to by a total of 24 academic staff members of the School of Law condemned the invasion of parliament by members of the elite security force – the Special Forces Command (SFC) and called it “the rape of the sanctity of parliament”.
The law dons related the events of 26th and 27th September where SFC and Police forcefully evicted parliamentarians from their chambers to the 1966 overthrow of the 1962 constitution by Dr. Milton Obote, the then Prime Minister of Uganda.
“All evidence points to the fact that the rape of the sanctity of parliament was deliberately planned to intimidate the legislators to pass an ammendment that favours a single individual”, the statement read in part.
They equally had no soft words for the speaker of parliament Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga whom they condemned for surrendering her power (and in essence the power of parliament) to the whims of the executive arm of government.
They said that every democratic and peace loving Ugandan should not forget the history of the country which has not had a peaceful change of government for over 50 years now.
And that with such developments, “Uganda continues to face the danger of life presidency and the continued violent change of leadership.”
They made the following recommendations;
1. That parliament rescinds the motion allowing presentation of a private member’s bill to ammend Art. 102 (b).
2. That all organs of the state and private actors respect the freedom of expression of all including media freedom.
3. That the Uganda Human Rights Commission should take immediate actions against all violators of human rights both within and outside parliament in connection to the age limit debate.
4. That the security forces desist from engaging in partisan politics and persecution of citizens opposed to the ammendment of the age limit.
5. That all citizens in Uganda exercise their rights and duty under Art. 3 to defend and protect the constitution.
Notable among the signatories to the released statement were professors of law, Sylvia Tamale and Ben Twinomugisha (former Deans/principals at Law School), Fredrick Jjuko, David Bakibinga (former deputy vice chancellor), Emmanuel Kasimbazi, Joe Oloka-Onyango, and Christopher Mbazira (the current principal).
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