Over 200 individuals accuse senior officials, including the president and his son, of brutal crackdown on opposition groups and activists.
According to NewYorkTimes Testimonies from more than 200 individuals has been submitted to the International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague, detailing horrifying allegations of torture, killings, and other crimes against humanity. The accusations implicate senior Ugandan officials, including President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba. The submission aims to shed light on the brutal government crackdown on opposition groups and activists that took place before and after the violent 2021 elections in Uganda.
The extensive briefing accuses nine top Ugandan officials, with President Museveni at the forefront, who has maintained an iron grip on the country for nearly four decades. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who has been maneuvering to succeed his father, is also named among the accused. A total of 26 officials are alleged to have aided and abetted the imprisonment and systematic abuse of Ugandans, particularly supporters of Bobi Wine, a musician-turned-opposition leader who ran for the presidency in 2021.
Responding to the allegations, President Museveni’s deputy press secretary, Faruk Kirunda, dismissed the accusers as political opponents spreading false information, aiming to tarnish the president’s image by resorting to international intervention. Andrew Mwenda, a spokesperson for Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, acknowledged the occurrence of torture but questioned the direction and motives behind such acts. Mwenda suggested that implicating the president’s son in the accusations would elevate the profile of the case.
The ICC, responsible for investigating and prosecuting crimes against humanity, war crimes, and genocide, faces a lengthy process in deciding whether to initiate an investigation into the Uganda case. Chief Prosecutor Karim Khan has previously highlighted challenges regarding staff shortages, budget constraints, and an overwhelming workload that includes ongoing investigations into allegations of war crimes in Ukraine and Afghanistan.
Analysts speculate that the prosecutor may exhibit reluctance in pursuing the Uganda case, considering the ICC’s past criticisms for predominantly prosecuting cases in African countries, even though some investigations were initiated at the request of African governments.
The testimonies, compiled by Bruce I. Afran, a lawyer based in Princeton, New Jersey, shed light on the harrowing experiences of activists, opposition leaders, and government critics. The individuals described being subjected to waterboarding, whipping, stabbing, chemical attacks, and forced proximity to corpses.
The filing holds President Museveni directly responsible for the torture as the commander of the armed forces. Such accusations are likely to intensify existing criticism of Museveni’s government, which recently enacted an extremely punitive anti-gay law, condemned by human rights groups worldwide. An ICC investigation could also complicate the political landscape leading up to Uganda’s 2026 elections, potentially affecting the succession plans of General Kainerugaba, who aspires to replace his 78-year-old father. However, the general’s provocative statements, including floating the idea of invading Kenya, have strained his relationship with his father.
Uganda has been a party to the ICC’s Rome Statute since 2002, despite President Museveni’s prior criticism of the court and threats to withdraw from it.
Tom Maliti, a researcher monitoring ICC cases, acknowledges the court’s Africa-centric focus and the resultant criticisms. He emphasizes that any prosecution in Uganda would necessitate the cooperation of the Ugandan government to gather evidence and interview potential witnesses.
While the majority of those providing testimonies remain anonymous due to their presence in Uganda, several others who sought asylum in Europe or the United States have been named. This includes prominent writer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija and Amos Katumba, the founder of a non-governmental organization who collaborated with Bobi Wine on various projects.
The testimonies highlight incidents where security forces forcibly entered homes, carried out arbitrary arrests, and engaged in abductions on the streets using unmarked vans. The victims describe beatings, burns with hot irons, electrocution, forced ingestion of feces and urine, and even tooth extraction.
President Museveni acknowledged the arrest of what he referred to as “terrorists” and “lawbreakers” during the election period and confirmed that an elite commando unit, led by his son at the time, had “killed a few.”
Among the victims listed in the filing, four individuals claim that the president’s son personally visited them while they were detained and subjected to torture. One such victim is Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, an author who was arrested in 2021 after mocking the president’s son on social media. Rukirabashaija reported being whipped and enduring the plucking of his thighs with pliers in prison, with General Kainerugaba visiting him on three occasions. However, the general’s spokesperson denies any such meeting between the two.
Following his release, Rukirabashaija fled the country and currently resides in Germany. In a phone interview, he lamented the lack of a functioning rule of law in Uganda, attributing it to subservient courts influenced by the government. He expressed hope for justice to be achieved through the ICC.
The submission of these testimonies to the ICC marks a crucial step in shedding light on the alleged atrocities committed in Uganda. As the court evaluates the evidence, the world watches closely, awaiting a decision that could have far-reaching implications for accountability and justice in the East African nation.
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