The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | GODFREY SSALI | Human rights activists have demanded that Kampala Capital City Authority takes measures to tame the brutality of its law enforcement force and also compensate the family of the late Olivia Basemera who was pursued to death by the force
Basemera, who was a vendor in Kampala was chased by KCCA enforcement officers on Friday last week before she drowned in a drainage channel were she had sought refuge.
Human rights activists under the Human Rights Network and FIDA-Uganda who addressed a press conference at HURINET offices in Ntinda insist that KCCA must take measures to stop the brutality being meted out by its law enforcement officers.
The Chief Executive Officer at FIDA-Uganda Irene Ovonji Odida has said that they also want KCCA to compensate the family of the late Basemera stressing that the 5 million shillings given to them for burial purposes is a drop in the ocean.
“The issue of compensation cannot be about death expenses. KCCA must also be held liable for the death itself and the emotional harm to the family as well as the loss of income, stated Mrs.Odida, adding that “Vicarious liability says that when you are a principle and your agent commits an offence in the course of doing their duty, you must liable.
She said that KCCA should look at Basemera’s level of income, how old she was, and how much longer she would have lived and how much she would have generated during that time to give her family a just compensation.
KCCA has been advised to designated special areas in Kampala for vending as one of the measures to avoid clashes between them, traders and law enforcement
The chief executive officer at FIDA-Uganda Irene Ovonji Odida says that it’s a common practice even in developed cities to set aside areas for the urban poor to generate income through trade activities such as vending.
Meanwhile human rights activists offer to provide training to the KCCA law enforcement team so that they can adopt a human rights approach in carrying out their work
The executive director at the human rights Network-Uganda, Muhammad Ndifuuna urged Kampala Capital City Authority to create a human rights policy regarding its operations and processes.
“KCCA must review its enforcement approach by taking into account human rights to help them turn around the thinking of enforcement officers. This fascist approach is unacceptable,” said Ndifuna.
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