UGANDAN security forces detained several young protesters in downtown Kampala on Tuesday during a banned rally against alleged rampant corruption and human rights abuses by the country’s leadership.
NTV Uganda shared a video on social media platform X, showing police intercepting and detaining a small group of young people who were marching and holding placards. One protester wore a T-shirt reading ‘Speaker Must Resign.’
A police spokesperson was not immediately available to confirm the number of detainees. Authorities had previously banned the protest, citing intelligence reports suggesting that criminal elements might exploit the rally to loot and vandalise property.
To prevent the protest, soldiers and police were deployed around the parliament building and central Kampala. All roads leading to parliament were blocked, with access restricted to lawmakers and parliamentary staff. NTV Uganda also showed military armoured personnel carriers patrolling the area.
Local business owners near parliament faced difficulties accessing their premises. ‘It’s like a war zone,’ Edwin Mugisha, a Kampala worker, told Reuters, describing the heavy military presence.
On Monday, police sealed off the offices of Uganda’s largest opposition party, accusing it of mobilising the protests and detaining some party officials, including lawmakers. The party denied organising the march but expressed support for it.
Opposition leaders and human rights activists claim that embezzlement and misuse of government funds are widespread in Uganda. They accuse President Yoweri Museveni of failing to prosecute corrupt senior officials who are politically loyal or related to him.
President Museveni has consistently denied condoning corruption, asserting that individuals, including lawmakers and ministers, are prosecuted when there is sufficient evidence against them.
These developments highlight ongoing tensions in Uganda over corruption and governance, as the government continues to face criticism and calls for reform from both local and international observers.
