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Uganda Law Society Wants Violent Militia Group Investigated

   Peter Clottey 17 June 2010

   The  chairman  of  Ugandaās Law Society has called on President Yoweri
   Museveniās   government  to  investigate  and  prosecute  the  āKiboko
   militiaā after accusing the group of terrorizing Ugandans.

   Bruce  Kyerere  said  his  Law  Society  Group is considering filing a
   lawsuit against the government if the administration fails to find the
   perpetrators behind the group.

   āThe  public  has  been  terrorized by a group infamously known as the
   Kiboko  squad,  which  is  a kind of militia vigilante group, and, its
   action  has  been  deemed  illegal.  And,  we  are  calling  upon  the
   government  of  Uganda  to  take  immediate  steps and investigate its
   origin,  the  people  behind  it,  and the perpetuators of its illegal
   activities.  We  will  like  the  government to identify who they are,
   arrest  them  and  prosecute them for terrorizing the public,ā Kyerere
   said.

   This  comes after the Kiboko militia group violently broke up a recent
   protest  march  in  which  scores  of unarmed protesters were severely
   injured.

   The  march  was  against  President  Museveniās  reappointment  of the
   chairman   and   members  of  the  electoral  commission  tasked  with
   organizing Ugandaās presidential election early next year.

   Kyerere  said  President  Museveniās  government  is  constitutionally
   mandated to protect Ugandans.

   āOur  concern is that, it is the duty of government to investigate and
   establish  who  this  group  is. If they are denying that they are not
   behind their action, and then let them demonstrate their commitment to
   protecting  the  citizens  of  Uganda  by  launching  an immediate and
   comprehensive  investigation  that  is  aimed at establishing who this
   group is,ā Kyerere said.

   Uganda President Yoweri Museveni

   Several  groups, including a coalition of opposition political parties
   known  as  the Inter-Party Cooperation accused the government of using
   the  militia group to intimidate and harass dissenting opponents ahead
   of next yearās general elections.

   The  opposition  coalition  includes  the Forum for Democratic Change,
   Uganda  Peopleās  Congress,  Conservative Party, the Justice Forum and
   the Social Democratic Party.

   The  government  has  denied  any  links to the violent militia group,
   vowing to soon launch an investigation into the groupās activities.

   But  chairman  Kyerere  said  the  delay  in  governmentās decision to
   investigate the group is worrisome.

   āThe  minister  of  internal  affairs  has  already  declared that the
   government  will  take  it up and establish who these people are. But,
   should  they  sit back and do nothing, then weāve got several options;
   one  of them is to engage every government institution and agency that
   is  in  charge  of  keeping  law  and  order  as  well as those in the
   observance  of  the rule of law to make sure that we get to the bottom
   of this issue,ā Kyerere said.

   Officials of the Ugandan government were not immediately available for
   comments despite repeated attempts.

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