Three young women were remanded to Luzira Prison following a bold anti-corruption Nude Protest along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala. The protesters—Aloikin Praise Opoloje, Kobusingye Norah, and Kemitoma Kyenzibo—were arrested after staging a half-naked protest demanding the resignation of the Speaker of Parliament. The women’s bodies were painted in Uganda’s national colors, carrying messages of outrage against corruption. Their protest, quickly quelled by the police, drew attention to an age-old form of resistance in Uganda—nude protests.
The women, charged with common nuisance under Section 148(1) of the Penal Code Act, will remain in custody until September 12. While this latest protest shocked many, it is far from the first time Ugandans, particularly women, have used nudity as a powerful symbol of resistance. Nude protests have become a potent form of expression in the country’s struggle against injustice, exploitation, and abuse.
The Origins of Nude Protests in Uganda
The use of nudity in Ugandan protests traces back to traditional African forms of protest, where women, in particular, used their bodies to express grievances. In many African cultures, a woman stripping naked in public was viewed as the ultimate curse, a powerful condemnation of wrongdoing. This cultural understanding of nudity as a sign of outrage and shame has carried over into modern times.
One of the most notable instances of a nude protest in Uganda occurred in 2012, when a group of women stripped to protest alleged government’s land grabbing and forced evictions in the Amuru District in northern Uganda. These women, mostly elderly, undressed in front of government officials as they tried to prevent their land from being taken. Their action garnered national and international attention, underlining how nudity can amplify the voices of the vulnerable.
A Symbolic Weapon of Protest
In Uganda, nude protests have become a weapon of last resort for those who feel that all other avenues of justice have been exhausted. The recent protest along Parliamentary Avenue continues this legacy. According to activists, nudity symbolizes transparency in the fight against corruption, exposing the “naked truth” of Uganda’s mismanagement of resources and exploitation of the people.
The Freedom Activists, the group behind the latest protest, emphasized that their half-naked demonstration was meant to draw attention to the extravagant lifestyles of Uganda’s politicians amidst widespread poverty. The placards carried by the protesters echoed these sentiments, accusing politicians of stealing the country’s money. The demonstration highlighted the use of nudity as a form of moral rebuke, pointing to the corruption that protesters claim is rotting the core of Uganda’s leadership.
A Global and Local Phenomenon
Nude protests are not unique to Uganda. Around the world, they have been employed as a tactic of shock and disruption. From the women of Kenya stripping to protest police brutality to the FEMEN movement in Europe, nudity has been a visceral, attention-grabbing tool. In Uganda, however, the symbolism is deeply rooted in cultural traditions and carries an additional weight of historical context.
Beyond political protests, Ugandan women have also used nude demonstrations in the fight against social injustices.
The Risks and Rewards of Nude Protests
Despite the symbolic power of nude protests, those who participate often face significant legal and social risks. The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s decision to remand the three anti-corruption protesters highlights how the Ugandan legal system views public nudity as a breach of social order. However, for those involved, the potential consequences pale in comparison to the urgency of their message. They believe that such drastic measures are necessary to spark meaningful change.
The women’s protest comes at a time of growing public frustration with government corruption in Uganda, with surveys showing corruption to be one of the country’s most pressing issues. Youth, in particular, have been vocal about their dissatisfaction with the direction the country is taking, using social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) to amplify their voices.
As Uganda’s history of nude protests demonstrates, this form of demonstration is not simply about shock value. It is a profound act of defiance, deeply embedded in cultural and historical significance, used by the marginalized to confront power. The remanding of the three protesters to Luzira Prison is only the latest chapter in Uganda’s long history of nude protests—a history that underscores the lengths to which Ugandans are willing to go in the fight for justice, accountability, and change.
The protest may have been swiftly quelled, but the message remains: corruption and exploitation are naked truths that many Ugandans are no longer willing to cover up.
