KAMPALA – Jinja South Division East Member of Parliament Paul Mwiru has challenged government to explain concerns surrounding the arrest and detention of several individuals, warning that failure to uphold constitutional guarantees on personal liberty could undermine public confidence and investor confidence in Uganda.
Speaking during a parliamentary sitting, Mwiru said the right to personal liberty is guaranteed under Article 23 of the Constitution and must be respected by all government agencies responsible for arresting and detaining individuals.
He reminded Parliament that Article 23(2) requires arrested, restricted or detained persons to be kept in places authorised by law. He also stressed the importance of informing relatives of people taken into custody, as provided for under the constitutional safeguards.
Mwiru said legislators had previously raised concerns about the liberties of several people and reminded the Speaker, Jacob Marksons Oboth-Oboth, of an earlier commitment to have Parliament debate the matter.
He cited concerns raised by families of civilians and retired military officers, including former military intelligence chiefs Maj Gen (rtd) Abel Kandiho and Brig Gen (rtd) Charles Bakahumura, whose detention had attracted questions from their relatives.
The legislator questioned whether the reported detention of some of the affected individuals at a facility referred to as Commando complied with the law, insisting that every person arrested must be held in a legally authorised place.
He said leaders had a responsibility to speak out whenever the liberties of citizens were threatened, arguing that Parliament should not remain silent when concerns are raised about the protection of fundamental rights and freedoms.
Mwiru further warned that failure to address concerns over personal liberty could affect Uganda’s image and investor confidence, urging government to provide clear explanations about the circumstances surrounding the arrests and detention of the individuals cited.
He appealed to the Speaker to guide the House on when the promised debate would take place and called on the Ministry of Internal Affairs to respond to the concerns, saying government should indicate when it would be ready to account to Parliament.
