Three Ugandan opposition MPs have been remanded in custody, police announced on the evening of Monday 22 July. The arrests came on the eve of anti-corruption protests banned by the authorities.
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The three arrested MPs are members of the National Unity Platform (NUP), whose headquarters in the suburbs of the capital Kampala were earlier in the day ” besieged by heavily armed police and military “, he told AFP Bobi Winethe main opponent in Uganda.
A police spokesman said the deployment was decided ” for security reasons. There was very credible information that a large crowd had been mobilised to attend the press conference. ” planned for Monday July 22 by the opponent, continued the spokesperson.
Planned gathering to be maintained
The demonstration againstCorruption This Tuesday, July 23, the march to Parliament, banned by the police, is being maintained by the organizers. We will demonstrate tomorrow no matter what »reacted a protester, Shamin Nambasa, questioned by AFP. As Ugandans march to Parliament on Tuesday to protest, they should be aware that the regime is prepared to shed their blood to stay in power, but that should not scare anyone. “, said opponent Bobi Wine, real name Robert Kyagulanyi.
Shamim Nambassa is a pharmacy student. She is 25 years old and is one of the young people behind the mobilization. She explains to Guilhem Fabry of RFI’s Africa service: ” We are protesting because we are tired of the rampant corruption in this country. As young Ugandans, we were born in poverty, we grew up in poverty and we live in poverty. We have poor services: our hospitals are not good, the roads are not good, the education system is collapsing. And a lot of that is because of how our taxes are being used.
The demonstration remains prohibited
The police cited risks of ” chaos ” to ban Tuesday’s demonstration. And President Museveni warned those planning to demonstrate last Saturday, during a speech to the nation, saying that they ” playing with fire ” and criticizing ” some elements who planned illegal demonstrations, riots ».
The three arrested deputies, along with seven other people, ” are accused of various crimes » and have been ” placed in pre-trial detention “, Ugandan police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke told AFP, adding that all would appear in court next Thursday.
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