Ugandan police arrested 14 opposition officials and supporters on Monday. Their crime? Marching through Kampala to the Kenyan embassy to protest Nairobi’s decision to detain and deport their colleagues. This move adds to the growing tension in both Uganda and Kenya, where anti-government protests have been shaking up the streets.
Why It Matters
On July 23, Kenyan authorities detained 36 members of Uganda’s opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC). These individuals had traveled to Kenya for a training course, only to be deported back to Uganda and slapped with terrorism-related charges, which they denied. Naturally, their colleagues weren’t too happy about this.
What They Are saying
14 other FDC members, including two lawmakers, took to the streets of Kampala on Monday. Their peaceful march aimed to highlight the unjust treatment of their deported colleagues. But, of course, the police were having none of it. According to local media, they were promptly arrested for “participating in unlawful assembly activities” and later charged in a magistrate’s court with being “a public nuisance.”
All 14 pleaded not guilty. While four were released on bail, the rest were remanded to prison, awaiting their next court date on August 7. The FDC official in court, who spoke anonymously, confirmed these details.
Bottom Line
Critics and human rights activists have long accused President Yoweri Museveni’s government of using trumped-up charges to silence opposition. Government officials, of course, deny this. Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, seems to have a knack for keeping his grip on power, much to the frustration of his opponents.
