You’re Playing with Fire, President Warns Protesters

Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni has issued a stern warning to protesters planning an anti-corruption march on Tuesday, cautioning that they are “playing with fire” and will not be tolerated.

According to a BBC report on Sunday, the protesters, predominantly young Ugandans, are calling for an end to government corruption, inspired by recent demonstrations in neighboring Kenya. In a televised address, Museveni accused the protest organizers of collaborating with foreigners to create chaos in Uganda and emphasized that the government would not permit any disruptions to the nation’s progress.

“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 declared.

Despite police denying permission for the march, protest leaders have vowed to proceed, asserting their constitutional right to peaceful demonstration. “We don’t need police permission to carry out a peaceful demonstration. It is our constitutional right,” stated Louez Opolose, a leading protest organizer, to AFP. Another protester, Shamim Nambasa, added, “Our starting point in the fight against corruption is parliament… and the demonstration is on irrespective of what police is saying.”

The upcoming march highlights increasing frustration over corruption in Uganda, which has recently seen the US and UK impose sanctions on high-ranking officials, including parliamentary speaker Anita Annet Among, due to corruption allegations.

Meanwhile, in Kenya, President William Ruto has called for an end to protests demanding his resignation and the cessation of “bad governance.” These protests have sometimes turned violent, resulting in at least 50 deaths and 413 injuries since June 18, as reported by the Kenya National Commission on Human Rights.

In Nigeria, a planned protest scheduled from August 1 to 10, 2024, is gaining momentum nationwide, aimed at addressing the economic challenges faced by Nigerians. While the protest has garnered support from some quarters, it has also sparked mixed reactions and concerns from various stakeholders. The Presidency has labeled the calls for nationwide protests as treasonable, with Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, claiming on his X account that the organizers are the same individuals behind the “destructive” #EndSARS protests of October 2020.