By CHANGE OF GUARDS
Close to two weeks now, the media has been awash with rumors of an impending mass protest in Kampala city scheduled for July 23. It is rumored that the youth-led protest will be against corruption and the misuse of public resources by Parliament. Initially, the usual gullible Ugandans, and in particular some opposition leaders, excitedly looked forward to a replica of what was happening in neighboring Kenya. While the Kenyan protests have no defined leadership, Kampala’s July 12 letter to the police sought permission for conducting the protests in the form of a procession. The same letter set out the program as assembling at the Railway Grounds for speeches before marching to the parliamentary building. It has now emerged that the impending protests have a top leadership comprised of four youths. Accordingly, two days ago, the police invited the four for a dialogue. It was later declared by the police that the protests would not be allowed. Citing credible intelligence sources, they claimed that “wrong elements want to use the peaceful protest to incite violence.”
The development comes at a time when thousands of city residents are being brutally rendered homeless by the regime. The so-called eviction of encroachers from wetlands is generating a lot of discontent against the regime. Already, the opposition-dominated political leadership in the city is advocating for the victims. Fearing an escalation, the regime has opted to deceive them by purporting to suspend the exercise. It fears that the victims could easily join the same protests, hence the claim of “wrong elements” plotting to join the protests and incite violence.
Otherwise, the said protests would work in favor of Museveni, who is currently locking horns with the institution of parliament. In his sinister motive of fighting the Speaker, Anita Among, he accuses parliament of treachery, corruption, abuse of power, and disobedience. He has always used the same institution as a rubber stamp for his autocracy. To shield his regime from accusations of gross abuse of power, corruption, plunder, and nepotism, he is desperately scapegoating parliament. In this regard, the protests against parliament would be a timely push in the same direction. Therefore, it wouldn’t be surprising if it is discovered that the protest is regime-sponsored. I pity the so-called political opposition that is banking on the pending hoax protest.
Watch the space.
INFORMATION IS POWER AND THE PROBLEM OF UGANDA IS MUSEVENISM
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