Author Kakwenza Rukira has come out to appreciate the Director of the Uganda Prisons Service, Dr Johnson Byabashaija following his release.
As different social media sites and media outlets continue to get dominated with the torture stories of Kakwenza, he’s decided to give credit where it’s due.
Kakwenza says he was treated respectfully at Kitalya Prison because the way he entered is not how he got out.
Had it not been for Kitalya Prison, Kakwenza says that he might have died.
“Let me thank Dr. Johnson Byabashaija. Surely, they treated me with utmost dignity. How I entered Kitalya isn’t how I got out. There was an improvement and if it weren’t them, I would have died there,” says Kakwenza.
However despite being released, Kakwenza says that he’s not free yet as how a full Ugandan citizen should be.
This is because he lives in constant fear of being picked up again.
“I cannot say that I am happy to be released. Yes, I have been released, I can eat whatever I want, I can move anywhere I want but I am not happy because this is like getting half-baked freedom,” he adds.
Kakwenza was arrested in December after annoying the president and his son Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
He was held incommunicado for long and tortured gruesomely.
The author was released only after increased pressure from international organizations, Ugandans, activists and other politicians.
In his narrations, Kakwenza vindicated the commander of the Land Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba as having taken part in his torture.
Kakwenza adds that he was told by Muhoozi to stop criticizing the government and identifying with the Opposition.
He also added that the torture almost made him denounce his Ugandan citizenry and he thought he would never make it out alive.
