In his first letter to all security agencies dated October 23, 2018, titled: ‘Guidelines on managing rioters, terrorists, criminals and looters and methods of arresting and handling suspects,’ Mr Museveni forbade the personnel from taking the law in their hands.
‘The fundamental starting point is the NRA principle of being an army of the people, the masses (the farmers, the factory workers, the patriotic public servants and the Ugandans that are struggling to get a foothold in the emerging money economy) but also serving well the law-abiding foreigners that visit our country.
Each of these is like our father, mother, sister, brother, son, daughter or grandchild if they are Ugandans. If they are not Ugandans, then they are our honoured guests – amafura.
These must never be beaten, pushed or be barked at for any reason,’ Mr Museveni wrote.
Mr Museveni issued five guidelines and directed the security personnel on how they should handle suspects.
But eight years down the road, incidents that led Mr Museveni to issue guidelines on arrest are never obeyed. In Mr Museveni’s guidelines, security personnel should identify themselves to be known by the public as law enforcement officers.
‘The arresting officers should always identify themselves so that the public knows that they are legal operators…,’ Mr Museveni wrote.
Mr Museveni discouraged the use of Special Forces Command (SFC), Military Police and Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) [now Defence Intelligence and Security] soldiers in the handling of police work.
‘The involvement of the SFC, Military Police and CMI in handling law and order issues has been caused by the kawukumi (bean weevils) that had invaded the police. Otherwise, they should not have been involved and they were never involved,’ Mr Museveni said.
Mr Museveni also banned beating of suspects during arrests and that the vice should stop once the individual has been restrained.
On December 23, 2023, ahead of the Christmas festivities, Museveni again issued guidelines on arrests in which he condemned illegal arrests and detention beyond 48 hours.
He said in the event that such arrests happen, the public, especially the leaders, should document how the victims were arrested and not taken to court, then take the facts to the responsible authorities for action.