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Three anti-corruption protestors remanded after storming Parliament half-naked
Three young activists in the dock at Buganda Road Chief Magistrate's where they were charged with being common nuisance and remanded to Luzira Prison after staging a nude protest near Parliament on September 2, 2024. PHOTO/ JULIET KIGONGO
What you need to know:
- Norah Kobusingye, Praise Aloikin Opoloje and Kemitoma Kyenzibo appeared before the Chief Magistrate, Mr Ronald Kayiizi who remanded them until September 12 on charges of being common nuisance contrary to section 148(1) of the Penal Code Act.
Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kampala has remanded three anti-corruption protestors to Luzira prison for staging a nude protest at Parliament where they were arrested as they attempted to march calling for the resignation of Speaker Anita Among.
Norah Kobusingye, Praise Aloikin Opoloje and Kemitoma Kyenzibo appeared before the Chief Magistrate, Mr Ronald Kayiizi who remanded them until September 12 on charges of being common nuisance contrary to section 148(1) of the Penal Code Act.
They denied the offences and were remanded after failing to present substantial sureties to secure court bail.
“It is late and I have been the only judicial officer who has worked today at Buganda Road Court because others have gone for a two-day training. It is not possible for me to have the matter adjourned to tomorrow,” Mr Kayiizi told the protestors’ lawyer, Paul Wasswa who had asked for a shorter adjournment to prepare sureties for his clients.
Prosecution led by Mr Ivan Kyazze told the court that inquiries in the case were complete.
According to the charge sheet, the state claims that Kobusinye, Aloikin and Kyenzibo and others still at large on September 2, 2024 at Parliamentary Avenue, Central Division in the Kampala District made a procession in the middle of the road while half-naked and with [ant-corruption] writings on their bodies, which actions are allegedly not authorized by the law, thereby causing annoyance or obstruction or inconvenience to the public in the exercise of common rights.
Before they were held, the braless youthful protestors, who appeared with their breasts painted with colors of the Ugandan flag, held placards condemning corruption and demanding the resignation of Ms Among who has been widely accused of corruption and currently facing travel bans to the UK and the US.
The protestors identifying as "Uganda Freedom Activists" marched on streets near Uganda's legislative assembly before they were swiftly intercepted shortly after midday by security officers, including non-uniformed people.
They also accused government of slow and inadequate support to the victims of the August 10 Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA)’s Kiteezi landfill collapse which left 35 bodies recovered and several still missing.
Closer to parliament, the demonstrators had been heard appealing for an audit over earnings and lifestyles of Ugandan lawmakers as well as accountability from KCCA over the dumpsite collapse.
Additionally, they said nude protest was "symbolic to denounce unchecked rampant misuse of public resources" by the corrupt politicians.
Under the leadership of the Bukedea Woman MP, Among and her Ruhinda North Counterpart, Thomas Tayebwa as her deputy, parliament has growingly come under public criticism with social media mobilized protests -since July- demanding her resignation.
Between late July and early August 2024, security forces in Kampala violently foiled planned peaceful youth-led anti-corruption protests which President Museveni, 79, said were “foreign funded to disrupt Uganda" which he has ruled since 1986 when he shot his way to State House through a five-year guerilla warfare.
The demonstrations had been largely encouraged via microblogging app X (formerly Twitter) with their remote organizers seeking to emulate GenZ-led protests in neighbouring Kenya.
Separately, there was nationwide anger in the aftermath of an August 10 garbage landslide where mountains of rubbish buried people, livestock and dozens of homesteads at the Kiteezi landfill in Wakiso District, which is run by KCCA.
Government and the KCCA leadership had been warned several times about the impending disaster at the landfill but no one seemingly cared to take heed until residents were buried alive.
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