HIS
EXCELLENCY PRESIDENT JACOB ZUMA,
THE
REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA,
THE
UNION BUILDINGS,
PRETORIA.
DATE: 26/04/2016
Mr. President
RE: PRESIDENTIAL SHAM ELECTIONS (2016) AND THE
DETERIORATING HUMAN RIGHTS SITUATION IN UGANDA
We the undersigned, on
behalf of a wider Ugandan community living in South Africa would like to bring
to your attention, Mr. President, the failing state of democracy and
deteriorating human rights situation in Uganda.
Uganda’s President, Yoweri
Museveni, in power for over 30 years, has increasingly resorted to repressive
and unjust means to maintain his grip on power, in the face of increasing
discontent, and challenge over his style of leadership.
As you are well aware Your
Excellency, Uganda held elections on 18th February 2016. However, the
process was a sham as it was characterized by deliberate Government refusal to
implement recommended Electoral Reforms in order to bring about credible, free
& fair elections. Torture, harassment, intimidation and restrictions of
opposition candidates and their supporters was a daily occurrence. Massive
irregularities were widely reported by the media and election observers. Immediately
after the sham elections, presidential candidate Dr. Kiiza Besigye was put
under house arrest and prevented from election petition. When the third
candidate petitioned the elections, police broke into his lawyers’ offices and
stole evidence. As if that was not enough, all the nine Judges hearing the
petition were appointed by Mr. Museveni. The eventual court verdict was
therefore not surprisingly in line with previous court precedents. Consequently,
Ugandans are very angry and frustrated because their vote was stolen and their
will over-thrown by a regime that is increasingly resorting to the gun to stay
in power.
Given the above Mr.
President, although you congratulated Mr. Museveni on his ‘re-election’ in what
you termed ‘free and fair’ elections, we respectfully contend that the
elections were neither free nor fair. In addition, none of the election
observer missions deployed to the country declared the elections as free and
fair.
Because he lacks the
peoples’ mandate, Mr. Museveni’s sense of insecurity has increased tremendously
and so has his repression of the people by turning the country into a
police/military state. His main challenger, Dr. Kiiza Besigye, has been
arrested repeatedly since the day of the elections. People are being harassed,
tortured and arrested. Some have been brutally murdered. Many people are fleeing
the country to escape the brutality and persecution by the state. Increasing
numbers of Ugandans are seeking political asylum in South Africa and elsewhere. If the status quo remains, the situation is
bound to get worse.
In 2011, we alerted you
Mr. President to the horrendous human rights situation in Uganda.
Unfortunately, since we did not receive any response, we are not privy to
actions you took if any. Suffice to say here that the situation has gotten
worse since then. Sadly, as happened during Idi Amin’s rule, Africa has been
looking on as Uganda continues to bleed. Many Ugandans are increasingly of the
opinion that the outside world will never come to their rescue. Unfortunately,
God forbid, Ugandans might resort to violence to rescue themselves from the
jaws of a dictatorship.
Given the above, we state
thus:
1.
We don’t recognize Mr. Museveni as the legitimate leader of
Uganda and call upon you Mr. President to withdraw your recognition of the
regime.
2.
The South African government should provide the leadership
that it’s highly respected for and intervene to normalize the deteriorating
political situation in Uganda.
3.
South Africa has a significantly high Foreign Direct
Investment into Uganda. A democratic Uganda, where individual rights and
liberties are respected, is not only beneficial to Uganda but also indirectly
to South Africa, hence the important need for your intervention.
4.
Mr. Museveni has continuously and heavily bankrolled his long
stay in power using state resources and encouraging rampant corruption. Hence the
ensuing economic decline of the country. This will undoubtedly affect South
African companies operating in Uganda and by implication South Africans.
5.
The South African government should institute targeted
sanctions on the country’s leaders, including Mr. Museveni, and completely halt
the sale of arms and police equipment to Uganda as this has been heavily used
to repress innocent Ugandans.
6.
We call upon the South African government, through the
Department of Home Affairs, to favorably consider current and future Ugandans arriving
in this country to seek political asylum in line with Human Dignity and Freedom
as these are genuinely fleeing oppression and persecution.
7.
Like in 2011, we once again
request that as a leading and respected member of the African Union, you table
the issues pertaining to the untold pain of Ugandans under Mr. Museveni’s
dictatorship before the organization.
8.
Finally, Your Excellency, we request that you as a leader of
a country that is known for its admirable struggle for human dignity and freedoms
lead the world in isolating Mr. Museveni and his junta so that the people of
Uganda can also enjoy the freedoms and liberties that this country enshrines.
Accept Your Excellency the
assurances of our highest consideration, esteem and regard.
We thank you Mr. President.
On behalf of the wider Ugandan community:
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