Tuesday, July 23, 2024
Mbeki edmond
Ugandan Court Charges 42 Youths Over Anti-Corruption Protest in Kampala
Ugandan police officers confront anti-corruption protesters in Kampala
A Ugandan magistrate's court has charged at least 42 youths for their involvement in a banned anti-corruption protest in Kampala on Tuesday.
The protesters, who marched through the capital's streets with slogans and placards denouncing corruption by lawmakers, were charged with offences such as being "idle and disorderly" and being a "common nuisance."
The protesters appeared in court on Tuesday evening, where they pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody.
They are scheduled to return to court on various dates between July 30 and August 6, according to Bernard Oundo, president of the Uganda Law Society and head of the legal team representing the suspects.
Human Rights Watch, a New York-based organization, criticized the arrests as indicative of President Yoweri Museveni's government's disregard for the right to protest and free expression. Senior Africa researcher Oryem Nyeko stated,
"Instead of being arrested and blocked from protesting, those people should have been given a platform and listened to."
Attempts to reach the police spokesperson for comment were unsuccessful. Opposition leaders and rights activists have long accused Museveni of protecting corrupt senior officials who are politically loyal or related to him, alleging widespread embezzlement and misuse of government funds in Uganda.
