MPs furious over Otafiire’s no-show at Besigye detention hearing

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Lawmakers are outraged at internal affairs minister Kahinda Otafiire's failure to honour summons to attend a crucial hearing discussing a report on four-time presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye’s detention conditions.

On January 24, 2025, Parliament's human rights committee, chaired by Fox Oywelowo Odoi (West Budama North East, NRM), visited Luzira Upper Prison, where the veteran Opposition figure is being held on charges of attempting to jeopardise state security.

Veteran opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye is being held at Luzira Upper Prison on charges of attempting to jeopardise state security. (File photo)

The visit followed allegations that Besigye’s rights were being violated, including claims that his visitors had been barred from delivering food and that he was being held in solitary confinement.

As part of the follow-up, Otafiire, along with Uganda Prisons commissioner general Dr Johnson Byabashaija and deputy Attorney General Jackson Kafuuzi, were summoned to appear before Parliament on Tuesday, January 28, 2025.

However, after waiting for nearly an hour, lawmakers were stunned to learn that Otafiire had proposed rescheduling the engagement.

This request was outlined in a January 27 letter signed by the entity's permanent secretary, Lt. Gen. Joseph Musanyufu, addressed to the committee. The letter is also copied to the substantive internal affairs minister and his deputy, Gen. David Muhoozi.

“The minister of internal affairs has been in Cabinet and may not be able to make the presentation on 28th January 2025 as required. The purpose of this letter, therefore, is to request that you reschedule the meeting to another date,” the letter states.

“To answer your question specifically, we are time bound and we have to present a report to the House this afternoon. Those were the instructions of the house and there are policy issues that we shall address separately to the minister. The questions we asked, I think the commissioner general is competent to answer them,” Fox Odoi reasoned.

This decision infuriated MPs, who criticised Otafiire for what they deemed a lack of seriousness in addressing human rights concerns.

“He was supposed to meet us yesterday, he caused the adjustment to today. Now he just arrogantly writes that we reschedule again. For me, I wanted to register my disappointment because Parliament must be taken seriously,” Francis Mwijukye (Buhweju county, FDC) fumed.

Christmas message

The development comes amid accusations that Besigye is subjected to strict conditions in prison, including being denied regular access to visitors, limited opportunities for exercise, and restricted communication.

“When we visited and interacted with Dr Besigye, one of his complaints was that he was detained but also his Christmas greetings were also detained. Who is the officer who detained his Christmas greetings and we had requested a copy of that which was confiscated. So that we can see and test if there is anything out of context,” Jonathan Odur (Erute South, UPC) revealed.

Adding that “Because he told us that he was forced to remove two words; freedom and Justice.”