- President Museveni warned organisers of city riots to abandon their plans or face law enforcement
- He described the groups as ‘unfair’ and compared them to people who let their animals damage others’ property
- The president emphasised the hard work of Ugandans in producing food and products, suggesting that disrupting this is unjustifiable
In a national address last night, the president warned that those staging demonstrations during busy weekdays in the heart of Kampala will not be allowed.
He described these groups as “unfair” and likened them to a person who allows their animals to damage other people’s gardens.
Citing recent events outside the country such as the riots in neighboring Kenya, Museveni warned that such would not be allowed in Uganda.
“That culture I see in other parts of the world where they are damaging people’s property, that cannot be tolerated,” he said
The president was speaking in light of a demonstration which is scheduled for early next week against purported corruption at Parliament.
The ‘Stop Corruption March to Parliament’ is slated for July 23, 2024
However, according to the President, organizers of such demonstrations do not consider the hard-working Ugandans who spend sleepless nights ensuring that the population has sufficient food and other products on the market.
“Food prices have come down because of the Ugandans who are producing. Now my question is what right then do you have to seek to generate chaotic behaviours when we are busy creating wealth ?…. people in other parts of the world are starving and you here want to disturb us… you are playing with fire because we cannot allow it,” he added.
You hear people talking of demonstrations. But when you demonstrate in Kampala people are selling on the roadside…are you going to step in people’s products? Do not have such ideas in your head.”
Instead of marching in busy streets, the president advised protesters to wait for weekends when the city traffic is lighter, so they can congregate in open places like Kololo and vent their concerns.
