Uganda Protests: Kampala Court Has Charged At Least 42

On Tuesday, a minimum of forty-two demonstrators appeared in court in Uganda for alleged offenses committed during a youth-led rally that was prohibited in the country’s capital, Kampala.

The teenage demonstrators had earlier on Tuesday marched through the city’s streets, accusing politicians of corruption and violating their human rights.

Authorities have frequently utilized the allegation of “common nuisance”—which is used to suppress protests—as well as “idle and disorderly” are among the offenses listed in the charges against the demonstrators.

They entered a not guilty plea and were given orders to appear in court on various days from July 30 to August 6.

Leaders of the opposition, such as Bobi Wine of the National Unity Platform, claim that corruption and misappropriation of public funds are pervasive in Uganda and have long charged President Yoweri Museveni of neglecting to bring charges against dishonest officials who support him. He has denied endorsing corruption on several occasions.

On Tuesday, troops and police surrounded the NUP offices, and Wine claimed that some party officials had been “violently arrested”. He refuted claims that the protest was organized by the NUP.

The government, according to Human Rights Watch, is “blatantly violent of the rights to peaceful assembly and free speech, guaranteed in Uganda’s constitution and international law.”