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By Mulengera Reporters
The Uganda Medical Association (UMA) has raised serious concerns over the deteriorating health of Mr. Ssekitoleko Yasin, (Machete), a prisoner at Luzira Prison who has been on a hunger strike for 17 days.
In a strongly worded statement, the association has called for his immediate medical release, citing life-threatening conditions and violations of his rights as a prisoner.
Mr. Ssekitoleko, a father of two, has been in detention for over four years without trial. According to UMA Secretary General Dr. Joel Mirembe, the prisoner was arrested after the 2021 general election on what he claims are politically motivated charges.
His hunger strike, he says, is a protest against the government’s refusal to release him or present him before a civilian court.
“A team of doctors from UMA visited him on March 6, 2025, and the findings were alarming. He is extremely weak, unable to stand or walk unaided, and requires a wheelchair for movement. He appears severely dehydrated, has suffered significant weight loss, and struggles to speak,” Dr. Mirembe stated.
Dr. Mirembe further revealed that during their visit, a frail Ssekitoleko informed him that he had been forced to take glucose by a prison medical officer. The UMA Secretary General strongly condemned this, calling it an unethical practice that goes against medical ethics.
“Forcing treatment on a patient, especially one on a hunger strike, is against global medical standards. A prisoner, like any other human being, has the right to decide who treats them. This is a fundamental right recognized worldwide. The prison medical team must respect that,” Dr. Mirembe emphasized.
He also called on Uganda Prisons medical officers to uphold their ethical code of conduct rather than imposing treatment on detainees. “Regardless of being Uganda Prisons staff, they are first and foremost medical professionals. They know their duty is to respect patients’ rights, not to coerce them into treatment,” he said.
The medical association warns that prolonged starvation poses serious health risks, including potential organ failure and irreversible damage.
UMA insists that under international and Ugandan law, every individual, prisoners included, is entitled to proper healthcare, access to independent medical assessments, and fair legal treatment.
Dr. Mirembe has urged authorities to act swiftly, stating, “A hungry man is an angry man, but a sick man denied medical care is a condemned one.
The government must ensure that Mr. Ssekitoleko receives immediate independent medical evaluation and, if necessary, be released on medical grounds. His life must not be gambled with.”
The association also called on the government to resolve the crisis by transferring any legal proceedings against him to a civilian court, in compliance with the recent Supreme Court ruling that declared the General Court Martial unconstitutional.
“We will not remain silent in the face of continued prisoner rights violations. The health and human rights of Mr. Ssekitoleko and all prisoners, are non-negotiable,” Dr. Mirembe stressed.
The UMA has pledged to continue advocating for prisoners’ healthcare rights and ensuring that detainees receive professional and impartial medical attention. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
