Uganda Deploys Army, Police as Gen-Z Protests Spread

MONDAY JULY 22 2024

National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, addresses the press on February 22, 2021. PHOTO | MORGAN MBABAZI

Summary

Ugandan police heavily deployed to forestall protests.

Ugandan youth have mobilised online for anti-corruption protests, drawing parallels to similar movements in Kenya.

By The EastAfrican

Ugandan police deployed heavily around Kampala City on Monday to forestall planned protests by the youth against corruption in government.

In what reflects methods used by their counterparts in Kenya, where the youth, popularly referred to as Gen-Z, pushed President William Ruto to drop the controversial Finance Bill, 2024 and sack the Cabinet, the Ugandans have been mobilising online, particularly on social media.

Party leaders arrest

Meanwhile, security agencies on Monday deployed at junctions and roundabouts leading to and from the city centre, including Busega on the Kampala-Masaka highway, and Constitutional Square, which was akin to a makeshift barracks.

The National Unity Platform headquarters in Makere-Kivulu, where the party was set to hold a press briefing, was cordoned off by the Army and police, and the party Vice-President Lina Zedriga was arrested and bundled into a police vehicle.

A car belonging to another party leader, Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, was towed by the police while he was still behind the wheel.

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The police spokesperson termed the arrests “a precautionary move” ahead of planned anti-government protests on Tuesday.

“We cannot surrender this country to such reckless processions. Whenever we have reliable intelligence that certain activities are likely to disrupt order, we heighten our deployment. NUP called everyone from all walks of life. We are saying the longer you take to recognise the rights of others, the longer you will not enjoy your rights too,” Kituuma Rusoke said.

On the social media platform, X, NUP party leader Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine confirmed the siege on his party headquarters.

“They have turned the National Unity Platform headquarters into a military barracks. Several leaders have been violently arrested. They have now blocked the roads leading to the office. All because they are scared of the people. And, yes, when we lose our fear for them, they will lose their power over us,” said Bobi Wine.

Youth mobilise

Bobi said his party supports the protest, even though he disassociated his movement from organising it.

“The effort by the regime to clamp down and make it look like an NUP initiative is meant to weaken it because they want to make it appear like a partisan matter,” said Bobi. “The #AntiCorruptionProtests as we know them are organised by the young people of Uganda regardless of their age, religion, tribe or political affiliation!” 

“But we support them with all our might because we are #PeoplePower and we absolutely believe in the Power of the People. We support every effort to protest against injustice, corruption and misrule,” he added.

Museveni warnings

President Yoweri Museveni warned protesters that they would be "playing with fire" if they press ahead with plans to stage a march to parliament on Tuesday.

In a televised address, the President said: "We are busy producing wealth… and you here want to disturb us. You are playing with fire because we cannot allow you to disturb us." 

Like his Kenyan counterpart Ruto, Museveni accused the protest organisers of "working with foreigners" to cause chaos in Uganda.

On Saturday, the President had warned the youth against the protests, alleging they were sponsored by foreigners.

"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, etc. These people ... should check themselves or we shall have no alternative but to check them," he said.

The police refused to permit the march, but the protesters said they did not need permission to picket. 

"We don't need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration. It is our constitutional right,” said one, Louez Aloikin Opolose.

In a mobilisation that has taken over a month, the group, which identifies itself as youth affiliated to no party, no religion, no tribe and with no leadership, sought permission from the police, which was declined, with security officers warning the organisers not to disrupt business.

A message to all police units in the country released last week ordered high alertness and preparedness ahead of Tuesday's demonstration after President Museveni warned that demonstrators would not be allowed to proceed with their plans.

The Kampala planned protests if they take place, will be a part of a wave gathering momentum on the continent as African youth move to the forefront in seeking changes in the way their states are run.

In Ghana, youth have been planning similar protests.

Kenyan protests

In Kenya, the Gen-Z protesters were on Monday raring for the weekly Tuesday marches to push President Ruto to effect sweeping governance changes, even as others said he should resign.

But, speaking on Sunday in Bomet in the South Rift region, President Ruto said “Enough is enough” about the protests that have claimed more than 50 lives across the country, the majority blamed on the police.

“I want to promise it is going to stop. Enough is enough!” he said.

The Kenyan leader on Friday unveiled a new Cabinet of “the first” 11 members, six of whom were retained from the previous Cabinet, something that angered those opposed to him.

“We will protect life, we will protect property, we will stop the looters, we will stop the killers, we will stop the mayhem, we will stop anarchy because Kenya is a democracy and we want a peaceful, stable nation. Our issues are resolved using democratic means,” the President said.

But in a defiant move, the youth said they would #OccupyEverywhere on Tuesday and Thursday.

The decision to retain some of the cabinet secretaries has angered a majority of the citizens, who accuse him of recycling the people they want out.

Calls for dialogue

The demonstrations initially started as a protest against the Finance Bill in June which the president eventually shelved after protesters stormed Parliament on June 25 when it was passed.

“They said we should not pass the Finance Bill, and I dropped it. Then I called them, and they said they didn’t want to come for talks with me. They told me to go to X [spaces], and I went there, but they ran away,” the president said.

“Then they told me to call for a national dialogue, I have called for dialogue, and now they have refused. They are still saying they are faceless, formless. I have given everyone a chance to say whatever they want. I cannot continue like this. The country is much more important than any group of people. We must come together as a nation, protect our nation, and ensure that Kenya is a democracy. Anyone who has issues should use the front door and tell Kenyans what they want.”

Kabona Esiara, Luke Anami and Nelson Naturinda