Justice Gidudu brands Amnesty Act a nuisance

By Pascal Kwesiga                        

Justice Lawrence Gidudu has said the Amnesty Act which was enacted in 2000 is a nuisance.

“It (amnesty law) is a nuisance because it expires after every two years and you get stuck until it has been renewed,” he said.

Gududu, who is the chair of the Justice Law and Order Sector transitional justice working group was speaking at a national consultative dialogue on transitional justice in Uganda at Imperial Royale hotel in Kampala.

Transitional justice refers to judicial and non-judicial measures implemented in order to redress legacies of human rights abuses such as criminal prosecutions, truth telling and reparations programs especially in areas emerging from war situations.

The judge said that they have completed a draft policy on transitional justice to promote holistic truth telling, reparations and reconciliation efforts in parts of the country that have been plagued by civil wars.

The amnesty law was established to grant pardon to Ugandans who have denounced rebellion against the government. Several rebels and juniors commanders of the Lord Resistance Army rebel outfit have benefited from the amnesty law after giving up rebellion.