Following the anti-government protests in Kenya, Uganda is now on the brink of its own wave of demonstrations. Protesters are preparing to take to the streets on Tuesday, despite President Yoweri Museveni’s stern warnings of severe consequences.
Inspired by the protests in Kenya, young Ugandans have used social media to organize an anti-corruption march to the parliament. President Museveni has issued a clear warning, stating that those who go ahead with the protests will face serious repercussions. In a televised address, he emphasized that the protests would not be tolerated and accused some organizers of collaborating with foreign entities to create chaos, echoing similar accusations made by Kenyan President Ruto.
Ugandan police have informed the organizers that the planned protest in Kampala will not be allowed, citing intelligence that certain groups might exploit the demonstration to incite unrest. While these groups have not been publicly identified, the protesters insist on their constitutional right to demonstrate and plan to proceed with the rallies.
The protests are driven by widespread anger over corruption. Uganda ranks 141 out of 180 countries on Transparency International’s corruption index, which ranks nations from least to most corrupt. Several government officials, including the Parliament Speaker, have faced foreign sanctions due to corruption allegations. In a further escalation, opposition leader Bobi Wine reported that heavily armed security forces raided his party headquarters and arrested several leaders ahead of the protests, though police have not confirmed these claims.
President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, is frequently accused of maintaining an authoritarian grip on the country and cracking down on opposition leaders. As protesters prepare to challenge the government, these demonstrations in East Africa might reflect a broader trend of youth-led movements crossing national borders and inspiring more young people across the region.
The protests in Kenya have already shown how Generation Z can pressure authorities to respond. Whether these movements will lead to positive change or further chaos in East Africa remains to be seen.
