The government has released a 10-page statement responding to the European Union (EU) sanctions on human rights violations.
The EU Parliament last week approved 19 resolutions on human rights violations in Uganda.
These include among others, a call for justice and accountability for Ugandans who died in November riots last year, and sanctions against individuals and organizations responsible for human rights violations in Uganda.
The EU claims Uganda is hiding under the pretext of fighting COVID-19 to violate rights and freedoms, freezing of civil society funds, and attempts to limit civil society funding.
The EU asked the government to ensure freedom of media and journalism and unconditionally release or drop all charges against all those arrested and detained for protesting peacefully among others.
It also asked for an inquiry into Uganda’s financial management and transparency and methodical reviews of EU budget support programs.
In its response, the Ugandan gov’t has warned the EU against continued meddling in its affairs if a relation between the two is to be sustained.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs Sam Kutesa who has written to the President of the European Parliament, says the EU is undermining Ugandan institutions and independence of the country by interfering.
He says that the EU resolution was undermining Ugandan institutions like the courts of law and the Electoral Commission.
Kutesa says the statement is a mockery of the rule of law which the European Union stands for and an attempt to influence the outcome of the ongoing court process.
Kutesa says Uganda achieved a historic milestone in holding a peaceful election amidst COVID-19, and he is, therefore, “quite frankly concerned how the EU Parliament in its resolution downplays the threat of COVID-19 pandemic in Uganda” well aware of the stringent measures EU countries have taken to fight COVID-19.
Responding to the 18 and 19th Nov unrest, Kutesa says that following the arrest of Kyagulanyi, there was a preplanned and funded riot in which his supporters engaged in robbery, mounting illegal roadblocks, assaulting innocent people, and attacks on security personnel in Kampala which resulted into arrests.
“The Government is on record as stating that the incidents of November 2020 were regrettable and will continue to be investigated with a view to determining conclusively if and where operational mistakes were made by individual security personnel thereby unlawfully causing death in particular cases,” he says.
On threats to sanction individuals involved, Kutesa says the EU should reconsider its decision.
He says it is, unwarranted, unwelcome, and disguised attempt to intimidate officials entrusted with ensuring the security and well-being of all Ugandans into dodging responsibility.
On media freedoms, Kutesa says hundreds of media houses are licensed, but many had started broadcasting hate speech and calling for people to protest in the streets and when the serenity of the messages became apparent, the Government responded by shutting the internet which has since been restored.
On missing persons and kidnaps, Kutesa says that missing persons are being looked for while all those arrested will be prosecuted.
On freezing accounts of Non-Governmental Organizations and Civil Society, Kutesa says Government recognizes the critical role played by them in the advancement of democracy and a better society, however, he added that all organizations are expected to comply with the law.
