The Uganda Human Rights Commission has slammed the way the police in Uganda conducts itself in trying to regulate public demonstrations in Uganda.
Uganda Police Chief, Maj. gen. Kale Kayihura
This comes after numerous incidents where police has beaten up and clobbered people who organize what the police call unlawful public demonstrations.
The Chairperson of UHRC, Meddy Kagwa has told journalists in Kampala that the law only allows the police to limit the people’s right to public assemblies through regulation but that only breach of peace can justify the limitation of this right.
Kagwa says in order to justify any preventive action against public assemblies, there should be an eminent and real possibility of breach of peace.
He says however Uganda police has many times come up with such preventive actions against public assemblies even when there is no eminent possibility of breach of peace which is a violation of the
people’s right to public assemblies.
Kagwa says however the public should be responsible enough and observe law and order during such demonstrations and desist from violent acts that may lead to loss of lives and property.