Law Society Asks Security Agencies to “Rise Up to the Challenge”

Three days after the gruesome assassination of Arua Municipality MP, Col (Rtd) Ibrahim Abiriga, the Uganda Law Society (ULS) has come out to decry the rising insecurity in the country, calling on the security agencies to “rise up to the challenge”.

The shooting and killing instantly of Hon Abiriga together with his brother and bodyguard, Kongo Saidi on Friday last week while they approached their home in Kawanda near the capital Kampala, has left the country in shock.

The latest incident follows spates of kidnaps some of which have resulted into deaths, sparking a debate on the effectiveness of security organs in dealing with crime.

Now, in a statement released today, Simon Peter Kinobe, the President of Uganda Law Society has condemned the killing of Abiriga which he said was total disregard of humanity and the rule of law.

“The Uganda Law Society joins the rest of the country to strongly condemn the murder of Arua municipality MP, Ibrahim Abiriga. We extend our heartfelt condolences to his family, constituents, colleagues and everyone in grief over his demise,” said Kinobe in the June 11 statement.

He said “the convenience and impunity with which this heinous act was committed shows the extent to which respect for the rule of law and confidence in state action has declined in this nation”.

The ULS has also raised concerns over what they say is the deteriorating security condition in the country “evidenced by increasing cases of kidnap, unexplained and unresolved murders of innocent women and throwing of threatening letters in communities with the intention to create fear in the population”.

“We call upon the State to exercise its responsibility to protect the lives and property of all citizens. We call upon the security agencies to stand up and rise to the challenge,” further read the statement.

The Uganda Law Society says that the rising insecurity is not just a threat to the well being of Ugandans, but it will directly affect investment, economic growth and threaten the future of this country.

Mr Kinobe says that ULS will be monitoring the situation, investigations and all the developments closely and that the law society is willing to offer support geared towards serving justice.

Several Members of Parliament while eulogizing the colleague during a special sitting yesterday, spoke to the need for Police and other organs charged with security to release reports on unresolved investigations of similar killings that happened in recent years.