Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to protesters planning an anti-corruption march to parliament on Tuesday, stating that they will be “playing with fire.”
Young Ugandans have been organizing the march via social media to demand an end to government corruption. Inspired partly by their counterparts in Kenya, who staged mass demonstrations that pressured President William Ruto to drop tax hike plans, the Ugandan protesters are calling for substantial changes. The Kenyan protests have since evolved into demands for Ruto’s resignation.
In a televised address, Museveni emphasized that the planned protest would not be tolerated. “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,” he stated.
Critics accuse Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, of maintaining power through an iron fist, while his supporters credit him with bringing stability to the nation. Museveni also accused some protest organizers of “always working with foreigners” to create chaos in Uganda, though he did not provide specifics.
The police had earlier announced they would not grant permission for the march. However, one of the main protest leaders, Louez Aloikin Opolose, told AFP news agency that the protest would proceed regardless. “We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration. It is our constitutional right,” Opolose asserted.
Earlier this year, the UK and US governments imposed sanctions on Uganda’s parliamentary speaker, Anita Annet Among, following corruption allegations, which she denies. The sanctions prevent her from traveling to the UK and the US, with the UK also imposing an asset freeze.
The UK has similarly sanctioned two Ugandan government ministers, Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, who were sacked by Museveni after being accused of corruption. Both have been charged in court over a scandal involving the theft of thousands of metal roofing sheets intended for vulnerable communities in northeastern Karamoja, charges which they deny.
In Kenya, President Ruto also called for an end to the protests impacting his government, declaring: “Enough is enough.” The demonstrations are the largest since Ruto took office after winning the 2022 elections. Activists plan further protests on Tuesday, demanding Ruto’s resignation and an end to what they term bad governance.
At a rally in western Bomet County, Ruto challenged the protest organizers to reveal their identities and objectives. Some protesters recently stormed parliament, setting part of it on fire and stealing the mace, the symbol of the legislature’s authority. Organizers maintain that their demonstrations are largely peaceful, blaming police and military for responding with excessive force and causing casualties.
Since the protests began on June 18, at least 50 protesters have been killed and 413 injured, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Kenya’s main opposition leader, Raila Odinga, has expressed support for the protesters, insisting on justice for victims before any government negotiations.
Odinga’s stance could complicate Ruto’s efforts to include opposition members in his cabinet, a move aimed at quelling the youth-led protests.
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