‘We Can’t Remove Museveni by Peaceful Means; Village Court Better than Court Martial’ — and Other Reactions

Ugandan activists, lawyers and scholars have been reacting to the rushed decision by Museveni’s military tribunal, the so-called General Court Martial, to slap a nine-month custodial sentence against Eron Kiiza, lawyer for opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye and his aide Obeid Kamulegeya Lutale.

Here are some of the reactions following the shocking Eron Kiiza imprisonment that seems to have cast the Court Martial in the limelight of impunity that a number of Ugandans associate with President Museveni’s regime of nearly four decades:

I am yet to recover from the shock I have suffered as a result of the unprecedented proceedings that transpired at the kangaroo court martial today! Counsel Eron Kiiza, a robed member of the bar was severely brutalized in the court martial and then sentenced to 9 months imprisonment simply because he insisted on representing his clients. Why was Eron blocked from accessing the bar? Is it not Freeman (the Chairman) that should be charged with contempt of court? Comrades, I am now convinced that civility has run its course. Non-violent means will not get rid of Dictator Museveni. He is not trifling. We must not trifle with him. – Doreen Nyanjura, Deputy Lord Mayor, Kampala Capital City

Even our LC1 village courts (Akakiiko k’ekyaalo) seem to have a far better sense of justice than Court Martial. This is where you get to pity the poor soldiers that may only seek justice in that theatrical sham. – Prof Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, University Professor

It is the silence of the majority that emboldens individuals and institutions to act with impunity. Enough is enough! – Winnie Kiiza, former MP and ex-Leader of Opposition in Parliament.

The General Court Martial Judge Advocate threatened Counsel Eron Kiiza with imprisonment in a previous proceeding. He said, ‘you will join your client there,’ pointing at the dock. Today, when uniformed soldiers blocked Eron from accessing the bar, he walked up to him, raised his hands, and pushed him, mumbling some orders to the soldiers in the courtroom.  He carried out his threat by sending a lawyer to the dock alongside his client and, finally, through his mindless funnels, imprisoning Eron for nine months for contempt of court. The only people whose actions are contemptuous, unlawful, and shameful are the judge advocate and his enablers in that sham tribunal room. Let history reflect on this. – Nicholas Opiyo, Human Rights Advocate

Read more on Museveni’s military court’s decision to imprison Eron Kiiza, and how the fearless Besigye lawyer ‘banged tables’ in the Museveni army court Here and There.

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