By Our Reporter,
KAMPALA
President Yoweri Museveni has commended the country’s security forces for thwarting a planned demonstration on Tuesday, which he alleged had received foreign funding and had sinister intentions against the Ugandan people.
In post on his official X platform, formerly Twitter, President Museveni congratulated the Armed Forces, Security Forces, and citizens for their role in preventing the demonstration, which he described as “bad” and “ill-intentioned”.
“I want to congratulate the Armed Forces and the Security Forces and the Wanainchi, for foiling or not participating in the bad demonstration that was planned for Tuesday”, read Museveni’s post on X in parts.
The President claimed that the demonstration had two “bad elements”: foreign funding from sources with a history of meddling in Africa’s internal affairs, and plans for violence against Ugandans.
Museveni stated that some participants may have been unaware of the foreign funding and malicious plans, but emphasized that they should have heeded police advice to avoid involvement.
The President also reiterated his support for peaceful and patriotic demonstrations, saying he would have been the first to join if the planned demonstration had been genuine and coordinated with authorities.
“All those involved, should know that Uganda is not a neo-colony where those shallow schemes can be deployed,” Museveni said “Otherwise, if it was a patriotic, anti-corruption, peaceful demonstration, co-ordinated with the Police, I would have been the first to join.”
Museveni’s warning follow the ongoing anti-corruption demonstrations which started on Tuesday resulting into the arrest and remand of over 90 protesters facing prosecution for being “common nuisance, idle and disorderly. These were arraigned to court on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively and are expected to return to court on July 30.
Further reports indicate that security personnel today (Thursday 25th July, 2024) made several other arrests to undisclosed number of protesters in Kampala on the second day of the demonstration.
