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Abuse of Human Rights, Constitutionalism, and the Cost of Impunity

Chris Kato
A supporter of Ugandan musician turned politician-Bobiwine waves Ugandan flag during his presidential rally in Fort-Portal. Uganda’s youth demand constitutionalism and an end to enforced disappearances.

Uganda Today Edition: Abuse of Human Rights, Constitutionalism, and the Cost of Impunity

By Dr. Joshua Einstein Brian, President, Africa Youth Convention 

To:
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Uganda
The Parliament of Uganda
The Chief of Defence Forces
The Uganda Human Rights Commission
The Judiciary
Ugandan Security Agencies
The Diplomatic Community
Civil Society Organizations
The Youth of Uganda
And All Ugandans of Conscience

“We Cannot Build a Nation on Silence and Fear”

Uganda stands at a dangerous crossroads—a moment that could either solidify constitutionalism or plunge us deeper into state-sanctioned lawlessness. Recent public remarks by the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF), mocking the anguish of families whose loved ones are missing, are not merely insensitive—they are a grotesque betrayal of our constitutional values.

Chief security personnel for Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu Eddie Mutwe who was abducted recently and kept in unknown place, the CDF Muhoozi Keinerugaba has acknowledged his whereabouts by revealing that he is in his basement.

To suggest, even in jest, that abductees are being detained in basements to learn Runyankore is not just unbecoming—it is a chilling affront to justice, memory, and national dignity. It belittles the pain of survivors, mocks the Constitution, and undermines public trust in the armed forces.

A Constitution Is Not a Suggestion

The Constitution of the Republic of Uganda (1995) is clear:

Uganda’s Constitution guarantees fundamental rights—but are they being respected?

  • Article 20: “Fundamental rights and freedoms are inherent and not granted by the State.”

  • Article 23: Protects personal liberty and bars unlawful detention.

  • Article 24: Prohibits torture and inhuman treatment.

  • Article 28: Guarantees the right to a fair and public hearing.

It is not the role of military officers to detain civilians without trial. Alleged offenders must be presented before courts of law, not held in military dungeons.

Have We Forgotten Our History?

Uganda’s journey is haunted by painful chapters of state violence and impunity:

  • The Idi Amin era (1971–1979): Over 300,000 Ugandans were killed or disappeared.

  • The 2009 Buganda Riots: Dozens of civilians were killed amid state crackdowns.

  • The 2016 Kasese Massacre: Over 150 Ugandans were killed in a single weekend.

  • The November 2020 Protests: More than 50 unarmed civilians were shot dead in broad daylight.

Each tragedy followed by outrage. Yet, justice was never served. The silence afterward has become systemic. Institutional impunity is now normalized.

The International Cost of Repression

Uganda’s record on human rights is no longer a domestic affair—it has global economic and diplomatic repercussions:

  • AGOA Expulsion: In 2023, the United States removed Uganda from the African Growth and Opportunity Act due to deteriorating human rights—costing the country billions in export earnings.

  • EU Parliamentary Resolutions: Ongoing calls for investigations and sanctions related to repression and abuse.

  • Aid Withdrawal: International donors are pulling funding from Uganda’s security and governance sectors over persistent rights violations.

Repression isn’t just morally wrong—it is economically ruinous. No investor, development partner, or diplomatic ally will trust a regime built on unchecked power.

To Uganda’s Youth: The Moral Generation Must Rise

Over 75% of Ugandans are under 35. This youth majority cannot afford to stay silent.

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”
— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

We, the young people—students, artists, thinkers, entrepreneurs, faith leaders—must reclaim our voices. Organize peacefully. Defend human rights. Refuse to accept fear as normal. The struggle is not for one group—it is for all of us.

To the State: The Constitution Binds You Too

To the Commander-in-Chief, Parliament, Judiciary, and security agencies: Your oath was to the Constitution, not to a political party or an individual.

“Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will.”
— Frederick Douglass

Unchecked repression is unsustainable. If you continue down this road, Uganda risks becoming not a beacon of African progress—but a cautionary tale of democratic decay.

In Conclusion: The Time for Action Is Now

We are not merely defending rights—we are defending Uganda’s soul. The Constitution is not a symbolic document to quote during swearing-ins and ignore thereafter.

If impunity is allowed to flourish, the collapse of national integrity is only a matter of time.

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”
— Edmund Burke

Uganda must choose:
Constitutionalism or chaos. Integrity or impunity. Hope or horror. Let us choose wisely.

Yours in service and conviction,
Dr. Joshua Einstein Brian
President, Africa Youth Convention +256 072 178 104

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