Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to organizers of a planned anti-corruption protest, describing their actions as “playing with fire.” The statement, delivered in a televised address late Saturday, reflects the government’s firm stance against demonstrations that it deems potentially disruptive.
President Museveni, who has governed Uganda with an iron fist since 1986, criticized the protesters for allegedly being “elements working for foreign interests.” He did not provide further details on these claims but indicated that the authorities had intelligence suggesting that the planned demonstration could lead to chaos.
Earlier in the day, Ugandan police informed the protest organizers that the planned march in the capital, Kampala, would not be permitted. According to police operations director Frank Mwesigwa, the authorities had concerns that the demonstration could be exploited by certain elements to incite disorder. “Demonstrations can only be allowed under our mandate as long as they are not causing public disorder and disrupting the lives of lawful citizens,” Mwesigwa told AFP.
Despite the police ban, the protest organizers remain defiant. Louez Aloikin Opolose, one of the main leaders of the movement, stated that they would proceed with the demonstration regardless of the police’s stance. “We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration,” Opolose asserted, emphasizing that their right to protest is constitutionally protected.
The planned march aims to draw attention to corruption within the Ugandan parliament, which the protesters accuse of turning a blind eye to the issue. Shamim Nambasa, another protester, highlighted the significance of targeting parliament as a starting point in their fight against corruption. “Our starting point in the fight against corruption is parliament… and the demonstration is on irrespective of what police is saying,” Nambasa said.
Uganda’s corruption perception is notably poor, with Transparency International ranking the country at 141 out of 180 on its Corruption Perceptions Index. This ranking reflects widespread concerns about corruption in Uganda and underscores the protesters’ frustration with the government’s handling of the issue.
The situation in Uganda echoes the recent unrest in neighboring Kenya, where protests initially sparked by controversial tax hikes have evolved into a broader anti-government campaign. The Kenyan demonstrations, which began on June 18, have resulted in at least 50 deaths and 413 injuries, highlighting the potential risks associated with public demonstrations in the region.
As Uganda braces for the potential impact of the planned protest, both local and international observers will be closely watching how the situation unfolds and whether the government’s actions will stifle dissent or exacerbate tensions.
