Uganda Crackdown on Anti-Corruption Protesters: 60 Detained, Charged with “Flimsy Offence”
Kampala, Uganda – In a dramatic crackdown, Ugandan authorities have arrested and charged over 60 anti-corruption protesters who defied a ban to march on parliament in the capital, Kampala. The protesters, including a prominent TV and radio presenter, are facing charges of being a “common nuisance” and disorderly conduct.
The protesters, who were inspired by similar anti-government movements in neighboring Kenya, were demanding action against corruption, which is rampant in Uganda. The country is ranked 141 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s corruption index.
President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda with an iron fist for almost four decades, had warned that the protesters were “playing with fire” and that the authorities would not allow any demonstration that threatened Uganda’s “peace and security”.
Police were out in force across Kampala, manning roadblocks and sealing off roads to parliament. Riot police were seen using shields to surround protesters, while officers arrested those who refused to disperse.
Lawyers for the arrested protesters say that the charges are “flimsy” and that the arrests were a “rushed trial”. “This was a rushed trial. They were arrested and taken to court in a very short time and remanded to prison without securing them bail,” said lawyer Patience Muwanguzi.
The crackdown on the opposition is seen as a sign of the Ugandan government’s increasing intolerance of dissent. Human Rights Watch Uganda researcher Oryem Nyeko condemned the multiple arrests, saying they were “a reflection of where Uganda is at the moment as far as respect for those rights is concerned”.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) of former presidential candidate Bobi Wine, who has been a vocal critic of Museveni’s government, also condemned the crackdown. “Salutations to all who have courageously marched and are still marching against corruption and misrule —- even in the face of very brutal actions by the military and police!” Wine posted on social media.
The Ugandan government has faced international pressure over its human rights record, with the United States and Britain slapping sanctions on several officials accused of corruption. The sanctions were seen as a blow to Museveni’s government, which has long been criticized for its authoritarian tendencies.
As the standoff between the government and the opposition continues, protesters are vowing to continue their fight against corruption. “We are not relenting until we have the corrupt out of office,” said protester and human rights lawyer Ezra Rwashande.
