Police and the army are progressively getting busy with arrests as sprouting youths hit the streets of Kampala in anti-corruption protests.
Despite beefed-up security, parts of Arua Park, Nasser Road, and Parliamentary Avenue have seen pockets of protesters carrying placards and chanting “stop corruption.” These protests, however, last less than five minutes before the demonstrators are swiftly detained.
At about 10 AM, a group of over 13 youths marching downtown around Arua Park were apprehended and whisked off to the nearest police station.
The youths, carrying placards with messages such as “Speaker Among must Resign” and “Stop Corruption,” were quickly arrested by police and military officers who had been deployed in the area.
Shortly after, another group emerged on Nasser Road in a similar manner, chanting “stop corruption” and “Among must resign.” About 20 youths holding placards walked for less than three minutes, singing “Moto na waka” and “This is the time to fight in order to have peace in the future.”
Some held the Ugandan national flag and continued their vibrant walk amid cheers from members of the public who watched from rooftops and flats. However, their demonstration was cut short as security forces moved in and arrested them all.
In the more affluent part of Kampala’s city center, on Dewinton Street near Parliamentary Avenue, about 10 other protesters were arrested and bundled onto police pickup trucks. They started their chants on the south side of the National Theatre, heading towards Parliament, but were blocked before they could proceed further.
Another protester, claiming to be a human rights lawyer, identified as Eria Nawanuwe was nabbed opposite the National Theatre while attempting to march to Parliamentary Avenue. He was quickly grabbed by a swarm of police officers and bundled into a police truck within seconds.
Photos by Zainab Ali, Minah Nalule
