Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to protesters planning an anti-corruption march to parliament, stating they will be “playing with fire” if they proceed. The protest, organised by young Ugandans on social media, aims to demand an end to government corruption. The movement has drawn inspiration from mass demonstrations in neighboring Kenya, which led President William Ruto to drop plans to increase taxes and have since escalated into calls for his resignation.
In a televised address, President Museveni emphasized that the planned protest would not be tolerated. “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 asserted. Critics accuse Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, of ruling with an iron hand, while his supporters credit him with maintaining stability in Uganda. The president also accused some protest organisers of collaborating with foreigners to create chaos, though he did not provide details.
Despite the police refusing to grant permission for the march, one of the main protest leaders, Louez Aloikin Opolose, insisted they would go ahead, citing their constitutional right to peaceful demonstration. “We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration,” he told AFP news agency.
Earlier this year, the UK and US governments imposed sanctions on Uganda’s parliamentary speaker, Anita Annet Among, for alleged corruption, barring her from traveling to the UK and US and freezing her assets. Similar sanctions were placed on two government ministers, Mary Goretti Kitutu and Agnes Nandutu, who were sacked by Museveni and charged with theft of metal roofing sheets meant for vulnerable communities. Both deny the charges.
In Kenya, President Ruto has also called for an end to protests against his government, which have been the largest since he took office in 2022. The protests, initially sparked by plans to increase taxes, have evolved into broader demands for his resignation and an end to bad governance. Ruto has challenged protest organisers to come forward and explain their aims, while activists plan further demonstrations.
The protests in Kenya have seen significant violence, with at least 50 protesters killed and 413 injured since they began on June 18, according to the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights. Opposition leader Raila Odinga has expressed solidarity with the protesters, insisting on justice for victims before any talks with the government. This stance complicates Ruto’s efforts to include opposition members in his cabinet as a means to quell the protests.
Melissa Enoch
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