Uganda has long been faced with corruption, as government officials continue to plunder the nation’s economy. With wide spread cases, the country’s development has been stunted as only the wealthy are pocketing the wealth of the people. Despite promises to end corruption in the nation by several administrations, the situation has been even more terrible, as the citizens of the African country are further plunged into more debt and poverty.
However, it appears the people have finally had enough, and have decided to take the decisive action that would shape their future. In the face of the rising cost of living bedeviling the nation while the corrupt elite continues to live large, the youth-led demonstration has challenged the Ugandan Parliament to pick up the fight against corruption.
The Protest
Starting from Monday 22nd July 2024, the people of Uganda hit the streets in huge numbers, as they challenged their leaders to fight the corruption that is crippling the growth of the nation. The people had initially convened on social media to protest the corruption in parliament, and ensured that there was no organized leadership that could be bought by the government.
From 22nd to the 25th of July, the youths took to the streets and marched all the way to the Parliament in Kampala. The plan was to get the attention of the government so they can hear their cries and institute changes with an Uganda anti-corruption protest.
However, this peaceful protest soon faced its first challenge; the Ugandan Police. The police took actions to stop the protest by arresting some of the protesters. This wasn’t well received by the youths, as they continued on their march and also took to social media to appeal to the international community to help their cause.
Police Action Against the Protesters
For a protest that was aimed at fighting corruption, it seemed like the government wasn’t interested in listening to the people. This was obvious in the deployment of the police to handle the protesters with the use of force. Reports from the Uganda anti corruption protest grounds claim that the riot police used batons and tear gas to disperse the crowd, as many got injured and arrested.
Police spokesperson, Kituuma Risoke confirmed that about 104 people had been arrested on charges that range from traffic regulations and common nuisance offenses during the protest in Uganda. Out of all those arrested, 100 of them were charged to court while about 13 of them had prior criminal charges.
Reactions to the Arrests
These arrests and the use of excessive force on the protestors were largely condemned by the international community and the people. According to Amnesty International’s Regional Director for East and Southern Africa, Tigere Chagutah, the arrest was a way of silencing the people. Mr. Chagutah also called for the unconditional release of the arrested protesters and hinted on the need for the government to address their demands.
The anti-corruption protests in Uganda have sparked a turning point in the country’s fight for good governance. Despite the crackdown by the police, the citizens have continued to demand accountability from their government. The people continue to hope that there would be changes from their leaders, and that things would get better.