KAMPALA– ActionAid International Uganda has expressed dismay by highhanded, brutal and unlawful arrest of peaceful and largely youthful anticorruption demonstrators yesterday Tuesday, 23rd July 2024.
“ We are particularly concerned that state security forces would disproportionately intimidate, harass, and arrest young people exercising their legitimate anticorruption civic duty, rather than bringing thieves of public resources to book.” Reads part of Action Aid statement
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These have also expressed concern with the recent wave of political corruption that is posing an existential threat to Uganda’s nascent democracy, rule of law, and functional key state institutions including mandated anticorruption institutions.
“We condemn the double speak by political leaders who, while calling citizens to lead the anticorruption fight, yet attempt to trivialize, condone, even justify graft and ill-gotten wealth.
We believe that corruption in Uganda, that the head of state recently conceded is now endemic, is undermining all efforts of socioeconomic transformation by government, private sector, civil society, and ordinary citizens.”
That this vice deprives young people of quality public services, robs them of fair opportunities and mortgages their future.
“We call on the government of Uganda to put its resources where its mouth is – in the fight against corruption. All mandated accountability institutions should expeditiously use the available legal, administrative, and political actions to deal decisively with corruption.”
“The Constitution guarantees the right to peaceful protests and freedom of expression and Article 23 provides for the right to access a lawyer upon arrest. These rights must be protected and honoured, not only for those arrested, but for all Ugandans. The rule of law
Is paramount, and all parties must be held accountable for their actions.”.
Between Tuesday and Wednesday, over 90 demonstrators with majority being young people were remanded to Luzira after being charged with charges of Public nuisance as well as idle and Disorderly resulting from participating in the March to Parliament with the aim of requesting and other government officials engaged in corruption scandals to resign with immediate effect.
