The deputy Lord Mayor of Kampala, Doreen Nyanjura, Soroti District Woman MP Anna Ebaju Adeke and several other activists have been arrested in Kampala while protesting against rise of commodity prices in the country.
The duo was arrested from Mulago Round-about along with Wokuri Madanda, Alice Amony, Susan Nanyonjo and Miriam Kizito all leaders of the Women Brigade of the Red Card front, a political pressure group led by Dr Kizza Besigye.
Armed with placards and eprones written on ‘#Bitukwatako’ loosely translated as ‘it concerns us’, the protestors stood in the Round-about as they used megaphones to call on government to immediately intervene in the rising commodity prices because “they immensely affect women.”
“We are here to speak against the injustices the government and all other institutions of this country are commiting against Ugandans. The prices are high, the economy is very bad yet government continues to run and prevail over a very large cabinet – the cost of administering that Cabinet is too high,” said MP Adeke.
“We are saying that the economy is bad and so, if government also knows, why can’t they reduce the cost of administration, why do they have a very big Cabinet, why are we still budgeting for State House to use Shs1.8 billion daily when we don’t have money as a country? She asked.
Government has previously said that the rise of the the price of essential commodities is a global challenge and partly caused by the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war since the two countries are some of the leading producers of key raw materials for some commodities.
But, to the protestors, this is not true. Adeke says: It is not a Ukraine issue, It is an issue of governance.”
“We are calling on those multinational corporations that are funding the junta to stop funding mis-governance of our country,” she says.
The Deputy Lord Mayor, Doreen Nyanjura said people are so badly off to the extent that they can not even afford the alternative commodities government is referring them to.
“We are also concerned as women. Museveni told us that ‘if we can not afford bread, we eat cassava’. We are here to tell Mr Museveni that we cannot afford cassava and as women, we are here at the Frontline saying enough is enough. We are here to rally our fellow women, students and Ugandans who can’t afford Cassava and other commodities to join us for this cause,” she says.
The group also demanded the immediate release of the leader of the opposition pressure group, PFT, Dr Kizza Besigye. Besigye who was on Wednesday last week charged with incitement of violence and was granted a cash bail of Shs 30 million by Buganda Road Grade One Magistrate Siena Owomugisha.
However, he declined to pay the cash bail on grounds that it was unfair, leading to being remanded again to Luzira Prison.
The protestors said this is violation of Dr Besigye’s right to bail, and thus, demanding that the decision is revised and reversed.
“Free Besigye, free Besigye,” the group sang as they diplayed the places to the passersby.
“Bail is not a favor, the presumption of innocence is a right in our constitution. We believe Museveni will go some day,” Adeke said.
Nyanjura says: “You cannot take Besigye in Court and tell him to pay bail fees of Shs 30 million for saying there is inflation and Mr Museveni must go.”
Police would then deploy and arrested them before putting them on police trucks. They were then whisked to Wandegeya police station where they are currently detained.
It is not yet clear which case police is going to prefer against them.
The prices of most imported and domestically manufactured products have been increasing since late last year pushing the inflation rate up from around 3.2 per cent in November to 4.9 per cent in April 2022.
Soap, cooking oil, and other similar products are the most affected while the price of fuel, wheat, and fertilizer are also on the rise.