KAMPALA – Peaceful rallies launched last month against controversial tax hikes have degenerated into deadly violence on several occasions, escalating tensions in the country.
On Monday, heavily armed security forces besieged the headquarters of the opposition party National Unity Platform (NUP), according to opposition leader Bobi Wine, on the eve of a planned anti-corruption march banned by authorities.
The action comes two days after President Yoweri Museveni, who has ruled Uganda for nearly four decades, warned that Ugandans planning to take to the streets on Tuesday were “playing with fire.”
Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, told AFP that the headquarters of his party in Kavule, a suburb of Kampala, was surrounded by security forces before a scheduled press conference.
“Our headquarters are under siege by heavily armed police and the military. This was expected by the regime, but we are not giving up on the struggle to liberate Uganda,” he said.
Wine reported that several party leaders had been “violently arrested,” a claim not confirmed by police.
Ugandan police spokesman Kituuma Rusoke cited “security concerns” for the deployment. “There was intelligence… that there was to be a large crowd which had been mobilized to attend the press conference that could have led to disruptions of peace,” Rusoke said.
The NUP and Wine, a popstar turned politician who challenged Museveni in the 2021 elections, have frequently faced government crackdowns.
“As Ugandans march to parliament to protest tomorrow, they should be aware that the regime is ready to shed their blood to stay in power, but this should not scare anyone,” Wine stated. “We want a country where we all belong, not just the few in power.”
On Saturday, Ugandan police notified organizers that Tuesday’s march, promoted on social media with the hashtag #StopCorruption, would not be permitted.
“Some elements have been planning illegal demonstrations, riots,” Museveni said in a televised address.
The rising political tensions underscore the volatile atmosphere in Uganda as citizens push back against long-standing governmental control and demand accountability.
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