Gad Oteba
By AFP
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to protest organizers planning to proceed with a banned anti-corruption march on Tuesday, describing their actions as “playing with fire.”
In a televised address on Saturday, President Museveni addressed the issue of the planned demonstrations. “Some elements have been planning illegal demonstrations, riots,” he stated. Museveni, who has led Uganda since 1986, suggested that these protestors include “elements working for foreign interests,” though he did not provide further details.
Earlier that day, Ugandan police informed the protest organizers that the planned demonstration in the capital, Kampala, would not be permitted. Authorities cited intelligence reports indicating that “some elements were trying to take advantage of the demonstration to cause chaos in the country.”
“Demonstrations can only be allowed under our mandate as long as they do not cause public disorder or disrupt the lives of lawful citizens,” said Frank Mwesigwa, Director of Police Operations, in a statement to AFP.
Despite this directive, protest organizers have declared their intention to proceed. “We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration,” said Louez Aloikin Opolose, a prominent protest leader, on Saturday. “It is our constitutional right.”
The demonstrators aim to march past the Ugandan Parliament, which they accuse of condoning corruption. “Our starting point in the fight against corruption is parliament… and the demonstration is on irrespective of what police are saying,” asserted protester Shamim Nambasa.
Uganda ranks low on Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index, coming in at 141 out of 180 countries, with the least corrupt countries ranking highest.
The Ugandan protestors have been observing the demonstrations in neighboring Kenya, which have turned deadly over the past month. Initially sparked by opposition to controversial tax hikes, the Kenyan protests have evolved into a broader anti-government movement, with activists demanding action against corruption and alleged police brutality. Since the demonstrations began on June 18, at least 50 people have been killed and 413 injured, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
