On Wednesday 18 th and Thursday 19 th November, 2020 our country experienced disturbing developments that followed the arrest and detention of the National Unity Party (NUP) presidential candidate Kyagulanyi Robert Ssentamu, in Luuka District, Busoga sub region. The candidate was accused of flouting the election campaign guidelines that were issued by the Electoral Commission as well as the guidelines of the
Ministry of Health, particularly non-compliance with the Covid-19 SOPs. During the said two days violent riots ensued in Kampala City and the suburbs as well as a few other areas in the country, leading to the arrest of hundreds of people who were suspected to have participated in various acts of rioting and violence.
The Uganda Human Rights Commission noted a number of serious human rights violation that occurred during the ensuing chaos resulting from violent acts of lawlessness by some members of the public on the one hand, and the use of excessive force by some errant members of the law enforcement agencies who were deployed to quell the riots. Unfortunately, it has now been reported by some media outlets that the riots resulted into 46 people being killed and several others being injured. In addition, many people’s businesses and livelihoods were affected, private and public properties like offices, roads and vehicles vandalized or destroyed, and many people’s plans and efforts to eke out a living also seriously disrupted.
