The High Court will on July 10 hear an application lodged by suspects in the murder of the deceased Assistant inspector General of Police (AIGP) Andrew Felix Kaweesi, seeking medical check-ups and compensation for torture, allegedly committed by members of the Uganda Police.

The suspects, 13 in number, claim they were tortured at the police detention facility at Nalufenya, and now want court to order they be treated for wounds sustained and also be compensated.

However, following the allegations of torture by the apparently haggard suspects when the appeared before the Nakawa Court Magistrate Noah Sajjabi, the police came out and issued a statement denying any culpability.

‘We would like to inform the public to ignore these baseless allegations and to reassure them that we do remain committed to ensuring that the rights of suspects and accused persons in police custody continue to observed, respected at all times’, a statement signed by the police spokesperson Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGP) Asan Kasingye,’ read in part.

Kaweesi was killed by unknown gunmen on March 17 and since then dozens of people have been arrested and allegedly tortured by security personnel on suspicion of having participated in the murder of the former Police Spokesman alongside his driver Geoffrey Mambewa and bodyguard Kenneth Erau as they left Kaweesi’s Kulambiro home.

Stories Continues after ad

The United States under former President Barack Obama was working to keep South Sudanese President Salva Kiir in power and isolate rebel leader Dr. Riek Machar, a current African Union (AU) diplomatic source told the media in Ethiopia’s capital, Addis Ababa.

In an exclusive interview Friday, the source who demanded his identity be submerged for fear of reprisal, reportedly told the South Sudan News Agency that the United States was simply not clear of what to do about South Sudan’s civil war and that Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni was the only person they trusted.

“I can tell you there was no peace at that time because of nearly all East African leaders at that time, except Uganda, knew something was wrong. But we were fine since we knew Uganda was a supporter of South Sudan government,” said the source.

“What we have was a very heavy pressure from Obama’s government wanting us to denounce SPLM/A-IO, but it was the beginning of the renewal of old East African conflicts. The man [Kiir} killed thousands of Nuer people in December 2013 and we, in the East African community, knew he [Kerry] was very wrong,” the source said, adding, “We launched public and secret investigations into Juba’s coup claim and what our investigators found was very troubling.”

“That American guy who used to be Secretary of States (John Kerry) disliked Riek Machar too much, but we have our own views of Machar, he revealed.

The South Sudan News Agency is fully aware that the SPLM/A-IO has been critical of the Former US administration over its soft policy towards South Sudanese president.

It is not the first time the SPLM/A-IO implicated the United States in the ongoing civil war.

The armed opposition has been claiming that Former American government was held hostage by both Ugandan and American citizens who were given business deals by Kiir.

One senior rebel official assertively told the SSNA in Pagak that “the world must choose between killer Kiir and leader Machar.”

The SSNA is also aware that the armed opposition accused former US Secretary of States of reportedly favoring his daughter, a close relative, or friend who was awarded a construction business deal by Kiir’s government.

Stories Continues after ad

The debate on the Genetically Modified Organisms (GMO) Bill hit a minor bump after two MPs on Wednesday disagreed with the majority on the Parliamentary committee charged with scrutinizing the controversial Bill.

While the majority of the committee members are for the passing of the Bill, two legislators moved to have a minority report calling for the bill to be returned back to government.

The two, MPs Atkins Katusabe (FDC, Kasese) and Denis Lee Oguzu (FDC, Maracha), however do not disagree with the Bill in its entirety. They just want, among other things, the public to be consulted more.

The majority Argument

In a committee report submitted on the floor of Parliament the committee on Science and Technology said the law is very important especially that the National Agricultural Research Organization already in advanced stages conducting research on plants produced through biotechnology in order to come up with products that overcome chronic problems.

Introduced to Parliament in 2012, the Bill seeks to legislate for the research, production and use of genetically produced products.

In their attempt to justify the Bill, majority committee members argued that GMO research and development started decades ago and is on an unstoppable move as there are over 1200 biotech industries in over 30 countries and there is already a lot of GMO in Uganda especially in the field of medicine.

“On a global perspective, the biggest challenges are how to adopt the production of food in view of the climate changes and how to develop further the role of agricultural biotechnology in combatting the global challenge. Crops resistant to floods drought saline and acid soils may be needed.

“Several crops with these traits are already being researched on in Uganda and are in advanced stages. The enactment of an enabling law will therefore enhance the safe development of modern biotechnology,” the committee sought to move the House.

The minority argument

However, dissenting argue that there has been inadequate public consultation about the bill. They also argued that there’s no impact assessment about the Bill, let alone the provisions being incomprehensive and with inadequate bioethical considerations.

They argue that, “The Bill should be referred back to the sponsor so as to undertake comprehensive public involvement as required under the national objective and directive principal of state policy x of the constitution of the republic or Uganda.”

This, they say, will ensure narrowing of perception gap, building confidence, attaining shared understanding and responsibility in in the development and implementation of the law on biotechnology in Uganda.

The debate returns on the floor next week.

Stories Continues after ad

Losing National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate for Kyadondo East constituency Sitenda Sebalu has contested the electoral victory of Robert Sentamu Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, saying the process was marred by illegalities.

According to Sebalu, Kyagulanyi could have inflated the number of voters on the register in order to attain over 25.000 votes.

Sebalu also castigated some of his party members, saying they conceded defeat despite the irregularities. He added that his campaign team is investigating the claims of rigging orchestrated by by Bobi Wine.

However, Bobi Wine says he is not moved by Sebalu’s allegations, and has embarked on traversing the constituency to ‘thank’ his voters.

“My election as MP has given me the responsibility to represent people of different beliefs and political persuasions,” Bobi Wine said, and called for reconciliation among the voters.

On Thursday Bobi Wine was announced the duly-elected Member of Parliament for Kyadondo East after garnering  25.659 votes, while Mr. Sebalu emerged a distant second with 4.556 votes. Other contestants, Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate Apollo Kantinti got 1.832 votes; Nkunyingi Muwada 575 votes and Sowedi Kayongo Male who got 377 votes.

Stories Continues after ad