The march that has been mainly organized online on platforms like X (formerly twitter), facebook and tiktok was earlier in last week banned by police on grounds that it would disrupt business in the city, it had no leadership, unspecified number of participants and no particular agreed routes.
Parents have since taken to social media to share emotional messages from their children about why they were going to participate in the protests. (see: https://x.com/
By Monday, the government had deployed the army, police, and other security agencies in anticipation of the protests.
Prior to this, police, government officials and ministers called for dialogue as opposed to open demonstration which could lead to arrests, injuries and deaths.
On both social and mainstream media, there were fears from different sections of the public that as it has happened before, police would unleash lethal force upon the protesting youngsters.
“This deployment is unnecessary because Parliament is a place where every Ugandan can turn to for redress. The more the Speaker, Deputy Speaker, Commissioners, and MPs continue to bury their heads in the sand and try to cover those very serious allegations in this House, the more people will rise up,” Jonathan Odur, Erute South MP said.
According to senior BBC journalist, Alan Kasujja, the security forces have an opportunity to show strength by making sure that the young Ugandans they’ve sworn to protect return to their homes safely.
“Our kids are saying something. They love their country and want to see it thrive. A better Uganda for them and all of us,” he said on his X account.
On Tuesday morning, protesters in small groups started marching from different directions towards parliament in the centre of Kampala, singing slogans and chants calling for the resignation of house speaker Anitah Among who has already been sanctioned by both the United States of America and the United Kingdom over corruption allegations.
The protesters who were predominantly young people (Gen Z) carried mostly placards, face masks and water bottles to what they called a peaceful demonstration.
Many didn’t make it close to the precincts of parliament as they were rounded up in places like Arua park, Nasser road, Bukoto, Ntinda, Makindye among others.
Some groups and lone protesters however managed to beat security up-to the parliament’s gates from where many were arrested.
Police said it would issue a statement on the exact number of arrests and charges later in the day.
At parliament, the leader of opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi acknowledged the population’s frustrations and said legislators were waiting for the demonstrators to hear from them.
“For a very longtime,we have been talking about corruption here in parliament and many institutions of government and government has been paying lip services. They only talk and say we are going to crack the whip,we are going to take action but not much ever really happens. Now the young people have risen up and said, you know what, enough is enough and it is their right,” Ssenyonyi said.
By around midday, Speaker Among made her way to parliament and was expected to chair plenary after the house returned from a nearly month’s recess.
Her deputy Thomas Tayebwa had arrived about three hours earlier.
In a statement, the Uganda Law Society said that it had deployed a team of lawyers, led by their president, Bernard Oundo, across several police stations to offer legal assistance to detainees.
“All the stations where the protesters have been detained are already visited by our lawyers from Uganda Law Society to represent them. The Law Society is more than ready to assist in provision of Legal Aid,” the statement reads.
Throughout the entire morning, there has been online mobilization for medics, lawyers, food and water for protesters with a number of people offering their services.
