The President (under this law) had the powers to detain you without trial. It was still in the books; I never used it except once. I used it to detain a man called Sera Muwanga who was abusing the NRM. I just put him there…until it was amended in 1995.” Museveni recounted.
Museveni’s warning follows the recent public debate which has been raging about where lines can be drawn on people’s freedom of speech.
The debate followed the arrest of award winning novelist Kakwenza Rukirabasaija for allegedly instilling the President and UPDF’s Land Forces Commander, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
The writer was arrested and detained for a fortnight in an undisclosed location where he was apparently tortured before he was arraigned at the Buganda Road Court and charged.
According to President Museveni, members of the armed forces must be treated with respect for their contribution to the development of the country by ensuring peace and security.
“For the soldiers, they do a very difficult job and for you to attack them and think that things will be okay… I have always been a mediator among my constituencies (the army and the public) and other groups such as the church and civil society. But now I am tired of mediation. I want convergence so that we agree on a minimum program of how to bring justice to our people.” He added.
