The Uganda Human Rights Commission, UHRC has pleaded with the Inspector General of Police, Okoth Martin Ochola, to release Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze so that she can travel to India for treatment.
In a letter dated June 21st 2018, copied to the Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga, Hon. Nambooze and her lawyer Erias Lukwago, Med S. K. Kaggwa, the UHRC chairman explains that by holding Nambooze for more than 48 hours and not producing her before courts of law is an abuse of her rights.
He further writes that Nambooze’s hospital room at Kirrudu hospital has been turned into a detention centre with police manning it 24/7, and accessing it at their convenience without allowing her any privacy.
Mr. Kaggwa further states that the officers guarding the MP’s room are male, and keep entering without considering her gender.
“She has been derived of her privacy, as a patient due to the constant interference by police officers with her treatment regime. Most times these police officers are male and they force themselves into her room when she is receiving treatment in total disregard of her gender” the chairman writes.
On June 15th 2018, the MP was supposed to fly to India for a medical review and specialized treatment as a follow up on the spinal decompression surgery she underwent on November 8th 2017, after being injured in the infamous Age Limit Bill raid on parliament.
She however was unable to travel after her arrest on June 14th 2018 in connection with the alleged offence of offensive communication under Sec. 25 of the computer misuse Act.
He has warned police that if anything happens to hon. Nambooze as a result of her delayed medical treatment, it would raise legitimate questions as to how she was treated while in police custody.
Mr. Kaggwa further warns that the consequences will be grave to the embarrassment of the Uganda Police Force and to the entire country.
The Mukono Municipality MP was arrested in the aftermath of the assassination of Col. Ibrahim Abiriga, the former Arua Municipality MP.
She is recovering in Private room 7 at Kiruddu hospital where she was rushed in a critical condition on Saturday June 16th 2018, after an episode at Naggalama Police station.
