Police in Uganda have arrested two youth activists campaigning for the US presidential candidate, Donald Trump, in front of the American embassy in Kampala.
The two arrested on Tuesday (Oct. 25) were Bigirwa Moses and Allan Kitonsa, while their colleagues Kizza Hakim, Kayondo Juma and Nsibuka Harunah evaded police, according to the Daily Monitor newspaper. The men are reportedly part of the Uganda Young Democrats, a group that says it aims to fight dictatorship in Uganda.
The five demonstrators attempted to access the embassy grounds to campaign for the Republican candidate but were denied entry by security. They carried placards that read, “A vote for Trump is a vote against African dictatorship.”
Hakim told the media that they were campaigning for Trump because he’s promised to fight dictatorship across the world.
“Among the candidates for the presidency of America, he’s the only man who has said that once he becomes the president of America, he will fight the dictators, all African dictators, including Museveni,” Hakim said. The Ugandan president, Yoweri Museveni, is one of Africa’s longest-serving leaders, and in February extended his 30-year-rule by winning 60% of the electoral vote.
Hakim said he was surprised that they were not allowed to express their support for the candidate inside the embassy, “yet the embassy is the land of America.”
The police spokesman termed the incident as an “embarrassment” and said they will likely be charged with unlawful assembly, which might carry a penalty of up to one year in prison under the Uganda penal code.
©QUARTZ
