Uganda’s Museveni tells protesters he would have joined in – had they been genuinely anti-corruption

Members of the Uganda Police arrest protesters marching to parliament during a planned anti-corruption demonstration in Kampala. Police were out in force on the empty streets of the Ugandan capital Kampala ahead of a planned anti-corruption rally that has been banned by the authorities. (Badru Katumba/AFP)

• At least 74 protesters, mostly youths, have been rounded up in Kampala.
• President Yoweri Museveni claims protests are funded by foreigners and they are not anti-corruption.
• Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform activities lined up for this weekend have been banned by the police.

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has dismissed recent protests against corruption in his government as foreign-funded, and said those who took to the streets did not have a genuine grievance.

He has been in power since 1986, and his government is accused of corruption on a grand scale.

Speaking for the first time since the protests – which began on 18 June – Museveni said in his State of the Nation address that he “would have been the first to join” a march if it were it “a patriotic, anti-corruption, peaceful demonstration, coordinated with the police”.

According to Chapter Four, a human rights group, at least 74 people were arrested in the capital Kampala during the anti-corruption protests, after Museveni deployed the army and police.

At the weekend, he warned protesters that they would “be playing with fire”.

READ | Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni promotes son to army chief

One the top demands of the protesters was the resignation of speaker of parliament, Anita Among, who was placed under sanctions by the United Kingdom in June because of corruption allegations linking her to real estate there.

Museveni publicly defended Among, saying those opposing her were traitors.

When those arrested are brought to trial, “very bad things will come out”, said Museveni, allowing that some participants may not have known about “foreign funding and bad things”.

The Ugandan police also blocked the activities of one of Museveni’s critics, Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform (NUP), slated for this weekend.

Wine said: 

NUP had notified the police of planned public meetings in Bugweri, Pallisa and Soroti.

Protests continued on Thursday, as did arrests and allegations that police were violating the rights of those detained.

The Uganda Police Force dismissed such complaints as “unfounded” and said they “appear to be part of an ongoing propaganda campaign”.

“The police are very conscious of the rights of suspects and take their responsibilities seriously,” police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said.

Ugandan musician-turned-politician and opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, says the government is unreasonable. (Badru Katumba/AFP)

AFP

In 2023, Uganda was ranked the 30th-most corrupt country in the world by Transparency International.

Museveni insists that he can deal with corruption, saying if he is provided with evidence, he will take action.

The News24 Africa Desk is supported by the Hanns Seidel Foundation. The stories produced through the Africa Desk and the opinions and statements that may be contained herein do not reflect those of the Hanns Seidel Foundation.