Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to protesters planning an anti-corruption march on Tuesday, stating that they are “playing with fire” and will not be tolerated.
The protesters, mostly young Ugandans, are demanding an end to corruption in government and have been inspired by recent demonstrations in neighboring Kenya.
In a televised address, Museveni accused the protest organizers of working with foreigners to cause chaos in Uganda and warned that the government will not allow disruptions to the country’s progress.
“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 said.
Despite police refusing to grant permission for the march, protest leaders have vowed to proceed, citing their constitutional right to peaceful demonstration.
“We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration. It is our constitutional right,” said Louez Opolose, one of the main protest leaders.
The march comes amid growing discontent over corruption in Uganda, with the US and UK recently imposing sanctions on high-ranking officials over allegations of corruption. Similar protests have been taking place in Kenya, where President William Ruto has called for an end to protests demanding his resignation and an end to “bad governance.”
In Nigeria, a planned protest scheduled for August 1-10, 2024, is gaining momentum, aimed at drawing attention to the economic challenges faced by Nigerians. However, the protest has attracted mixed reactions, with the Presidency describing calls for the nationwide protests as treasonable.
