KAMPALA – About 17 National Resistance Movement (NRM) party activists are currently detained at Kabalagala Police Station after they were arrested on Monday for holding protests at the American and Japanese embassies in Kampala.
The protesters, who camped at the two embassies, were carrying different placards, accusing the two foreign missions of funding Opposition groups to cause violence in the country ahead of the 2021 elections.
They cited the incident of the NRM supporter whose hands were nailed last week. Baker Kasumba, resident of Avis Kivvulu, Kawempe Division was reportedly attacked last Wednesday evening along the Northern bypass flyover in Kalerwe as he walked back home from work.
One group of protesters arrived at the US embassy in Kansanga, Kampala, at around 8am. They were dressed in yellow T-shirts and carried placards with words such as “We shall not allow our country to die as you did to Libya, Tunisia, South Sudan,” and “We are willing and ready to die for our independence”. They also kept singing the national anthem.
Another group of youth arrived at the Japanese embassy in Nakasero, Kampala at around 10.30am. They also protested there, obstructing traffic on Kyadondo Road.
The activists tried to enter both embassies but were stopped by police officers, who later bundled them onto pickup vehicles and drove them to Kabalagala Police Station where they were detained.
Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, the deputy Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, said the activists will be charged with unlawful assembly.
Mr Rogers Mulindwa, the NRM communications officer, said they were not aware of the demonstration.
“It is not an activity sanctioned by the secretary. We are going to follow it up with the police since they are now at the police station,” Mr Mulindwa said.
