Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni Warns Protesters Against Anti-Corruption March
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to protesters planning an anti-corruption march on Tuesday, stating they are “playing with fire” and will not be tolerated.
The protesters, primarily young Ugandans, are demanding an end to corruption in the government, inspired by recent demonstrations in neighboring Kenya.
In a televised address, Museveni accused the protest organizers of collaborating with foreign entities to create chaos in Uganda and warned that the government would not permit any disruptions to the nation’s progress.
“We are busy producing wealth… and you here want to disturb us. You are playing with fire because we cannot allow you to disturb us,” Museveni declared.
Despite the police refusing to grant permission for the march, protest leaders have insisted they will proceed, citing their constitutional right to peaceful demonstration.
“We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration. It is our constitutional right,” one of the main protest leaders, Louez Opolose, told AFP.
A protester, Shamim Nambasa, also speaking with AFP, stated, “Our starting point in the fight against corruption is parliament… and the demonstration is on irrespective of what police is saying.”
The march comes amid growing discontent over corruption in Uganda. Recently, the US and UK imposed sanctions on high-ranking officials, including parliamentary speaker Anita Annet Among, over allegations of corruption.
Meanwhile, in Kenya, President William Ruto has called for an end to protests demanding his resignation and an end to “bad governance.” These protests, which have sometimes turned violent, have resulted in at least 50 deaths and 413 injuries since June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.
In Nigeria, PUNCH Online reports that a planned protest, scheduled to take place from August 1 to 10, 2024, is gaining momentum across the country. The demonstration aims to draw attention to the economic challenges faced by Nigerians.
While the protest has garnered support from some quarters, it has also attracted mixed reactions and concerns from various stakeholders. The Presidency has described calls for the nationwide protests as treasonable.
The Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, in a post on his X account, claimed that those organizing the protests were also behind the “destructive” #EndSARS protests of October 2020.
