Uganda police force and its sister security agencies are under fire for a day-time inhumane act inflicted on a private citizen in Kampala on Thursday.
In a video shot by some journalists and other concerned citizens, some men dressed in civilian clothing armed with guns attacked, beat up and arrested Hajji Yusuf Kawooya, a resident of Gayaza and DP affiliate.
Ugandans have since taken to social media advocating for the arrest and prosecution of the men who beat up Kawooya with a gun butt and slapped his back, stomach and other body parts with the same gun. The incident happened around Christ The King Church in Kampala during lunch hours.
People watched in horror as Haji Kawooya pleaded for his life asking why he was being beaten up but nobody was helping and his captors were not about to listen to his pleas.
While Police remains tight lipped about the matter, AIGP Asan Kasingye the Chief Political Commissar condemned the act. “This must be condemned by any right thinking human being. It’s sickening” he wrote on twitter.
Government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo also noted that investigations are ongoing to establish who these men are. “Investigations are underway to establish who and from which security agency if at all they belong to government” OO wrote.
Opposition parties, human rights activists and Ugandans at large condemned the inhuman act and want the perpetrators brought to book. Government has on several occasions claimed not to condone tortur, but such people disprove it.
Police has been under fire for years with reports from different rights groups indicating that the security agency is the number one human rights offender in the country for several consecutive years.
Hajji Kawooya’s horrific arrest comes after allegations that legislators including Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi lias Bobi Wine and his Mityana counterpart Godfrey Zaake were tortured while in custody after the August 13th Arua debacle that left one dead.
The victim was taken by his captors in a vehicle Reg.No. UAF 325S.
