On Tuesday, dozens of people protesting against corruption in Kampala found themselves behind bars after defying an official ban on demonstrations.
Among the 60 individuals arrested were Faiza Salima, a well-known TV and radio presenter, and three young protest leaders.
The arrested protesters were charged with being a “common nuisance” and have been remanded in custody, according to their lawyers.
The swift and heavy-handed response by authorities comes amid President Yoweri Museveni’s stern warning that demonstrators were “playing with fire.”
Museveni, who has led Uganda with an iron fist for nearly four decades, has maintained a firm stance against public dissent.
The protest, which was organized by young Ugandans inspired by recent youth-led anti-government demonstrations in neighboring Kenya, highlighted widespread frustration with corruption—a significant issue in Uganda, which ranks poorly on Transparency International’s corruption index.
Riot police were seen setting up roadblocks across Kampala, particularly near the business district and roads leading to parliament, in an effort to prevent the protests from escalating.
Police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke emphasized that any demonstration threatening Uganda’s “peace and security” would not be tolerated.
