Trouble has come to the face of Mr. Joseph Muhindo the Executive Director of Rights For All (RIFOA) an organization defending the land rights and other rights of the people living near Queen Elizabeth National park in Western Uganda where he is alleged to be supporting homosexuality in Uganda yet it is not allowed.
It all started in August this year when Mr. Joseph received nine visitors from the human rights fraternity believed to be from Italy, Senegal, Germany, and Britain who had come to sensitize people on their rights and how to defend themselves and safely without causing chaos.
The local leaders in Kasese including police suspected that these visitors had come on a different mission of promoting homosexuality while disguising to be human rights promoters.
Joseph Muhindo was later summoned to police and when he reached there, he was briefly detained after recording a statement and handing over his passport and other travel documents and offered a police bond.
The Kasese District Police Commander Wilfred Bagenda Says Joseph is accused of breaking presidential COVID19 prevention rules and those of the ministry of health.
The DPC further says that Joseph and his counterparts held meetings with local people, something that could easily spread Coronavirus.
The DPC further says that they suspect these foreigners were in a mission of promoting homosexuality much as he did not tell our reporter the details of these allegations while promising that after the investigations, Joseph Muhindo will be arraigned in courts of law anytime.
However Mr. Joseph says he is being harassed for the good work he is doing for the people of Kasese in fighting human rights violations where some of the leaders happen to be culprits who are involved in land grabbing, stealing the monetary entitlements of the people living near Queen Elizabeth National park, brutally arresting people while enforcing rules meant to prevent the spread of COVID 19 rules especially curfew.
Mr Joseph says that he and his organization (RIFOA) will continue fighting for people’s rights as long as he knows he is not breaking any laws as alleged by the local leaders in Kasese.
While speaking to our reporter, the president’s representative in Kasese district Joel Walusimbi says he last month met Mr. Joseph and discussed modalities of how the human rights work should be done according to the laws and norms of the area and that if something goes against these norms and laws, they cannot tolerate and allow non-accepted activities in Rwenzori region.
The Resident District Commissioner Joel Walusimbi further appreciated Mr. Joseph Muhindo the Executive Director of Rights For All (RIFOA) for the wonderful work he has done in ensuring that people in Rwenzori region get to know their rights for this has reduced conflicts in the area.
