Police have said that in the past one week, 104 youths have been arrested in the march to parliament protests.
Giving an account of what transpired during the week, the police spokesperson, Kituuma Rusoke said between July 22 and July 25, 2024, demonstrators attempted to march to Parliament in Kampala, leading to significant police intervention.
On July, 22, nine individuals were arrested and charged with common nuisance and traffic regulation violations, all of whom were taken to court. On June, 23, a total of 75 suspects were apprehended; 74 were subsequently taken to court, while one remains in police custody,” Rusoke said.
Kituuma said the following day, three people were arrested and charged with common nuisance offenses and all were taken to court while on July, 25, 16 individuals were arrested and 13 of these taken to court.
“Overall, 104 individuals have been arrested during this period, with 100 already taken to court. Among those arrested, 13 had prior criminal charges.”
Starting this week, youths have held protests in which they sought to march to parliament to show displeasure at the widespread corruption in the country.
The youths have demanded the resignation of Speaker Anita Among and the four backbench commissioners as well as trimming the salaries and allowances for Members of Parliament among other conditions before they stop the march.
President Museveni earlier this week said the protesters and bankrolled by foreigners.
“The demonstration had funding from foreign sources that are always meddling in the internal affairs of Africa for the last 600 years ─ slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, genocide, economic exploitation, etc,” Museveni said.
He applauded security agencies and Ugandans for “foiling or not participating in the bad demonstration that was planned for Tuesday.”
” All those involved, should know that Uganda is not a neo-colony where those shallow schemes can be deployed.”
The president said intelligence has informed him the planners and participants had planned very bad things against Ugandans.
” Those very bad things, will come out in court when those arrested are being tried. It is possible, that some of the participants, did not know of the planned foreign funding and the planned bad things. That is why, they should have listened to the police advice, not to go on with the demonstration. But they rubbished the police advice.”
