Dear Edward Kalekyezi-Kayihura,

Vincent Nuwagaba

Dear Edward Kalekyezi-Kayihura,
I would like to publicly inform you that since April 11, 2008 I have been brutalized, dehumanized, tortured, tormented, traumatized, humiliated and treated in a cruel manner by the policemen under your watch. Although I have written to you and the president several times, I have been treated with utter contempt apart from referring me to the so-called Police Professional Standards Unit (PSU). I speak with the experience; the PSU is Propaganda/Poison Scheming Unit. It is a propaganda scheming unit in a sense that it portrays the police force as an institution with a human face and a poison scheming unit in a sense that it makes reports full of falsehoods hence poisoning those that consume those reports. Frankly, the PSU was established for public relations purposes and because of the knowledge I have about it, I cannot report any complaint against the police thereto. To expect one to be a judge in their own case is to expect too much. The people manning the PSU are policemen/officers and strong allies and partners of the people we complain about. Would it be logical to have a case about a man judged by his wife or his brother?
I reported to the PSU in May 2008 about the physical, psychological and mental torture I was inflicted upon by the Policemen from April 11th to 15th 2008 at CPS under the supervision of Johnson Bahimbise who incidentally is my father’s friend for they were together at Makobole High School Kinyasano and is married to my former P.3 class teacher Nyesigire Anna.
The police didn’t extract any statement from me, they locked me in solitary cells; soaked me in sewage and they surely intended to have me dead. In fact, a police constable who happened to have been my Old Boy at Bubangizi SSS called Professor John-Jean Barya of the Faculty of Law, Makerere University. Shockingly, his status as a celebrated Professor of law notwithstanding, Prof Barya was blocked from seeing me. Oh Uganda!
On Monday April 14, 2008 a friend of mine David Tumusingize who had been illegally detained helped me by informing Dennis Daniel Muhumuza who later informed Thomas Tayebwa and Bruce Kabaasa Balaba. Tom and Bruce beseeched them to allow them see me. I am convinced that had Bruce and Tom not come at that time, I wouldn’t survive at all. In fact, I had already prayed to God to welcome me in the bosom of Abraham in case I died. The following day on Tuesday 15th April 2011, Bruce and Tom came for me. Sadly, instead of taking me to court, the Police connived with Butabika Hospital administration to subject me to pharmacological torture. Shockingly, soon after reporting to PSU, the shameless policemen again arrested me from Jinja Road Police Station on 15th May 2008 beat me and deprived me of some money only to release me after the intervention of FHRI and a friend who called from the President’s office ordering the Jinja Road Divisional Police Commander to release me. When I went back to the station after being attended to by the police surgeon, the DPC told me, “Nuwagaba, you are free to go your way, when we need you we shall call you”. To date, I have never been called in regard to that matter. On May 28th, when I went to make a formal complaint at CPS in regard to my property that had been stolen by the police, I was dumped in the dungeon and subjected to a fresh menu of torture. On 29th, Kampala RDC Alice Muwanguzi found me in the dungeon and I told her that I was not ready to accept being dehumanized in my own country. She told me, “Nuwagaba, let me go and order for your release”. Soon after her departure, I was called and I thought I was to be released only to be taken to Butabika. In Butabika, I went through real hell and when they were convinced I would die, they released me on June 24, 2008 so that I don’t die from the “Hospital”. Those who saw me during that time can testify that I stopped on the verge of the grave!
It took the PSU under Mr. John Ndunguse more than a year to do the investigations and write a report which ordinarily would take any serious person not more than five days. I have never read through that report but a police legal officer named Ronald Magezi read for me and when I disagreed with the contents therein he intimidated me. Shamelessly, I was told to part with Shs60, 000 (Sixty thousand shillings) if I was to be given a copy! I asked them the justification of paying for my own report and I have never got an answer.
The police have since tortured me several times and now beat me at will from state institutions. I have several times been beaten from UBC premises and parliament. Incidentally, you seem not to know that the more I am tortured, the more I am radicalised and for sure the police are fighting a losing battle. You cannot shoot down the truth. I would also expect you to resign and get a job at the NRM Secretariat since the president has told everyone that you and Moses Kafeero are NRM cadres.
The police under your leadership are now above the law and it is an irony that a lawyer with a master’s degree can head a police force that orchestrates lawlessness, torture and impunity. As sure as day follows night, the offenders will be punished. For God and my country!
Vincent Nuwagaba, Human rights defender
mpvessynuwagaba@gmail.com