An ongoing march to parliament organized by young individuals over alleged corruption in the Uganda government has led to multiple arrests. On Tuesday, numerous protestors were detained, among them high-profile figures. Joel Ssenyonyi, the leader of the parliamentary opposition, claimed in a speech that the police have been employing excessive force against demonstrators. This comes amid a significant police and military presence in the capital, Kampala, as reported by The Associated Press.
The protest march had been officially banned on Monday by the Uganda Police Force due to anticipated disturbances to public order. Nevertheless, demonstrators proceeded with the march. President Yoweri Museveni addressed the situation, suggesting that the protestors were “playing with fire.”
Coinciding with the march, police forces also conducted operations against opposition leaders. The headquarters of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) were blockaded and raided. Key figures such as Deputy President for the Northern region Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru, and members of parliament Zaake Francis, Charles Tebandeke, and Hassan Kirumira were arrested. The NUP has declared the arrests as unlawful, asserting that no valid justifications have been provided by the police. Particularly, MP Zaake Francis was charged with a traffic offense, while others were charged with unlawful assembly.
Although the NUP did not orchestrate the march, the party has expressed public support for the anti-corruption movement. The protests have been largely decentralized, organized through social media—a tactic inspired by similar movements such as the recent “leaderless, tribeless digital activism” seen in Kenya, which was also organized by the youth without direct ties to political factions.
Uganda’s Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protest, a point highlighted by the opposition to critique the state’s handling of the protests. These events raise crucial questions about the balance between maintaining public order and upholding constitutional rights, particularly as decentralized forms of protest become more prevalent across Africa.
For more detailed information, the original news report can be accessed here.