Uganda Police Force (UPF) has warned the country’s Gen Zs and other citizens planning a march on Parliament against engaging in the march to parliament. Planned for Tuesday, July 23, 2024, the march to parliament is being promoted online through the #MarchtoParliament and #March2Parliament hashtags.
The march is meant to express concern about growing corruption in the country, with Parliament being in the spotlight over extravagant expenditure, hefty service awards, deal making and grand theft of budgetary allocations.
At least five MPs have been arrested and remanded over two corruption scandals: the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) budget allocation saga and the compensation of cooperative societies scandal.
Now, about one week to the planned march to parliament, Uganda Police has warned against the protest over concerns on the possibility of violence and public disorder.”
“Uganda Police is reliably informed of ongoing mobilization efforts on social media calling for people to march to parliament. Unidentified organizers have circulated placards urging people to gather on all Kampala streets on Tuesday, July 23, 2024 but the time of commencement and organizational details are unclear,” noted police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke.
“Given the lack of transparency and potential for disorder, the police strongly warn against proceeding with this march. Uganda Police Force is issuing a clear warning against attempts to incite violence or breach public order through uncontrolled demonstrations.”
Rusoke urged those intending to hold demonstrations to collaborate with the law and order agency so as to avoid scenarios of bad elements hijacking the demonstrations.
“The right to a peaceful protest will be respected, but police will not tolerate attempts to incite public disorder,” Rusoke further noted.
“UPF urges persons who wish to exercise their rights such as the right to assembly and demonstrate to always work collaboratively with it to ensure that they don’t aid persons of ulterior motives to hijack these expressions to accomplish criminal intentions.”
Plans by Ugandan Gen Zs and other citizens to hold a march to parliament come after weeks of protests and restlessness in Kenya, Uganda’s eastern neighbour, where security agencies killed at least 41 protesters.
Protesters burnt a section of parliament, prompting President William Ruto to label them ‘dangerous criminals’ who had committed ‘treasonous” actions, and ones that would be punished.
Ruto would later withdraw the contentious Finance Bill 2024 in which government had proposed taxes that Gen Zs vehemently opposed. Ruto has also fired his entire cabinet while the police chief has resigned over the handling of protests. (See Details Here and There).
Back in Uganda, President Yoweri Museveni has vowed to crush corrupt government officials. At the weekend, internal affairs minister Maj Gen (Rtd) Kahinda Otafiire made it clear that demanding accountability IS NOT hate speech after a former deputy RCC was remanded for, among others, calling Speaker of Parliament Anita Among ‘corrupt.’ (See Details Here, There and Over There).
