City speakers held over Parliament demo

Police yesterday arrested four council speakers from Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) and Wakiso District on their way to petition the Speaker of Parliament over the prolonged detention of National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters.

The four speakers, who appeared in chains, were blocked by police at the main gate of Parliament.

They are Mr Justus Akampurira of Kawempe Division council, Mr Charles Luba of Makindye, Mr Godfrey Luyombya of Nakawa, Mr Nasif Najja of Wakiso District council and Mr Hamza Kasozi of Nansana municipal council.

The speakers accused the government of detaining the NUP supporters, whom they described as political prisoners.

They said  the government is  illegally detaining the supporters because some of them have not been charged within the constitutional provision of 48 hours or released after six months of detention.

“Our 31 comrades have been rotting in military detention without trial for more than two years, this gross violation of human rights must be put to an end,” Mr  Akampurira said.

“We came here to shine a light on the continued incarceration of political prisoners, it is overdue, free all political prisoners,” he added.

Kampala Metropolitan Police deputy spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said while the speakers claimed that they were taking a petition to the Speaker of Parliament, “we feel this is not the way the petition should be taken to the Speaker.”

He said: “As leaders, they should have got an appointment with the speaker and approached the House in a manner that doesn’t depict that they are inciting violence.”

“We are investigating allegations of holding an unlawful assembly and the speakers are still being detained at the Central Police Station in Kampala after they were arrested by parliamentary police,”  Mr Owoyesigyire added.

Since 2019, several Ugandans have been arrested and abducted by state operatives. Some were released after local and international public outcry. However, many are still in prison while others are still facing trial in the army court martial despite the civilian court ruling against their appearance there.

President Museveni has in the past admitted that many of the missing persons were arrested by the Special Forces Command, an elite force that protects him, for engaging in criminal activities.

Cleaners protest over delayed pay    

About 200 KCCA casual workers yesterday held a demonstration, accusing the city authorities of not renewing their contracts despite applying for new tenders through their Saccos.

Holding placards, the  casual workers, who included sweepers and drainage channel cleaners, stormed the KCCA offices at City Hall, demanding an explanation from the leaders.

Mr Isma Ssenyondo, a supervisor for sewage and waste management in Makindye Division, said: “Last week, we received messages showing that the new contract was given to Seven Hills Company, this means we no longer have jobs.”

He added: “We receive the lowest salary at KCCA, only Shs160,000 and worst of all, it is also not coming on time. As we speak we have not received the monthly salary for the last three months.”

Ms Hajarah Nakigudde, a street cleaner in Makindye Division, said: “The money is not even enough for rent and other basic needs because we have to buy for ourselves Brooms, gloves and spades to use at work. So KCCA should pay us and also think of increasing our salary.”

However, Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago said:  “The minister for Kampala and I agreed to halt the process of awarding these tenders until all issues are resolved. I assure you no one will lose a job.”

However, the KCCA spokesperson, Mr Simon Kasyate,  said all workers were paid on January  15.