Hundreds of Peaceful Protestors Arrested by Military Police

Hundreds of peaceful protestors around different parts of Kampala have been arrested by security agencies, Military Police taking the lead.

The March2Parliament protest which is against the alleged corruption in the Parliament of Uganda is intended to have the protestors reach the parliament and show their grievances from there.

However, the security agencies are also determined to neutralize the protestors by arresting them, urging that the so-called peaceful protest is illegal.

The protestors who are holding placards are chanting ‘Anita Must Go’, ‘Anita Must Resign’ and even after their arrest, they continue with the same.

But even after the arrests that are almost broadcasted live on social media, the protestors are just gaining momentum. The protestors want the Speaker of Parliament, Anita Annet Among to resign because she is the one dining with the corrupt in parliament and also shielding them.

Apart from Kampala, Hoima and Kasese districts have also joined the struggle. Heavy deployments have been done in most of the towns in Kampala and its outskirts of Mukono, Wakiso, Entebbe and Mpigi districts.

Protectors who have taken more than a month organizing the March2Parliament peaceful protest have received enough warning never to dare, not only from the Uganda Police but also from President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni when he was addressing the nation on Saturday evening.

“While we the wealth creators are busy creating wealth for Uganda, some elements, some of them from the opposition, are always working with the foreigners to foment chaos in Uganda – riots, illegal demonstrations, illegal and inconsiderate processions,” he said.

“You are playing with fire, we cannot allow you to disturb us,” President Museveni warned.

“These people are unfair and inconsiderate and they should check themselves or we shall have no alternative but to check them. We have defended the direction of Uganda’s revolutionary path in the past and we shall defend it even more now.”

He advised those who want to demonstrate to contact Colonel Edith Nakalema to organise a match for them in the city. Museveni said Col. Nakalema successfully helped to organise his anti-corruption walk years ago.

“Don’t be tempted to bring chaos. We are busy producing wealth; you are getting cheap food, people in other parts of the world are starving, and you are here, you want to disturb us,” he said.

Uganda police early in the week met organisers of the Match2Parliament, and thereafter banned today’s planned anti-corruption protests. Police said they had got intelligence that some elements will “disrupt public order and incite violence.”

However, Jonathan Odur, the Erute South Member of Parliament has condemned the security forces’ deployment intended to block the peaceful protestors.

“This deployment is unnecessary because Parliament is a place where every Ugandan can turn to for redress. The more the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Commissioners, and MPs continue to bury their heads in the sand and try to cover those very serious allegations in this House, the more people will rise up,” Odur said.

Related