Fourteen Ugandan opposition officials and supporters were arrested while marching towards the Kenyan embassy in Kampala. The protest was in response to Kenya’s recent detention and deportation of their colleagues. This incident occurs against a backdrop of anti-government demonstrations in both Uganda and Kenya.
The arrests follow the deportation of 36 members of Uganda’s Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) from Kenya last month. These individuals, who had traveled to Kenya for a training course, were subsequently charged with terrorism-related offenses upon their return to Uganda – charges they have denied.
Monday’s march, which included two lawmakers, was met with swift action by Ugandan police. The arrested individuals were charged with being a “public nuisance” in a magistrate’s court, with some released on bail and others remanded to prison.
This event has reignited criticisms from opposition figures and human rights campaigners, who accuse President Yoweri Museveni’s government of using fabricated charges to suppress political opponents. Government officials have consistently denied these allegations.
The arrests highlight the ongoing tensions between Uganda’s long-standing government, led by 79-year-old Museveni since 1986, and opposition groups seeking political change. It also underscores the regional dynamics at play, with both Uganda and Kenya grappling with political unrest and opposition movements.