Justice in Uganda: A Study in Contrast
+FRAME ONE: The Rights of a Killer
+The Incident: Christopher Okello Onyun (in photo) attacks a nursery school, stabbing four innocent children to death.
≠The Response: As an angry mob gathers to seek immediate retribution, the police intervene to save him from being lynched. Good.
-The Outcome: Despite the horrific nature of his crimes, Onyun is granted his constitutional right to a fair trial in a civilian court, as he should.
+FRAME TWO: The Fate of the Peaceful
+The Incident: Opposition supporters stage a pro-democracy protest. They carry nothing but placards; not a single stone is thrown, and no one is physically harmed.
≠The Response: These peaceful citizens are set upon by the very same police force that protected a child killer. They are subjected to brutal beatings at the scene.
-The Outcome: The "justice" system takes a darker turn for the protestors:
•The Disappeared: Some vanish entirely, never to be seen again.
•The Tortured: Others reappear weeks later, bearing the physical scars of severe torture.
•The Jurisdiction: Unlike the child killer, these peaceful civilians are denied a civilian trial. Instead, they are processed through a Military Court.
¡The Verdict
Demanding democracy is treated as a greater threat to the social order than the murder of children. Good luck making sense of it.
An Irishman had the last laugh at his funeral with a gag from beyond the grave that had mourners in tears of laughter. Shay Bradley organized the recording that was done in one take, over a year before the funeral to be played after his coffin was lowered to the ground
Marriage is risky.
Staying single is riskier.
Having children is risky.
Being childless is riskier.
Believing in God is risky.
Not believing in God riskier.
Discussing politics is risky.
Being silent about politics is riskier.
Being part of a startup is risky.
Choosing a safe route is riskier.
It’s not the risk that’s scary.
It’s the commitments that comes with the risk.
Choose your commitments wisely.