In a televised address to the nation on the night of July 20, only two days to the anti-corruption march to Uganda’s parliament, President Yoweri Museveni warned the country’s Gen Zs against protests. But in neighbouring Kenya, President William Ruto faces more protests that could force him out of power after he re-appointed some sacked members of his cabinet.
Regurgitating his usual claims that foreign interest agents and some opposition politicians were fuelling the incite the youth and encourage them to riot and be part of “illegal demonstrations,” the president made it clear that “if these actions continue, further actions may be taken.”
Museveni said the opposition, their alleged foreign agents and youth protesters were “unfair and inconsiderate,” telling them to “check themselves” or else “we will have no alternative but to check them.”
“When you demonstrate in a place like Kampala, people are selling their products on the roadside, are you going to step on the roadside?” asked Museveni. “You are playing. Do not have such ideas [of protesting] in your head.”
Museveni said those wishing to express their dissatisfaction should use weekends when streets are less crowded or go to stadia to demonstrate.
The president alluded to Kenya’s protests in which looting has been reported. During the same protests, Parliament buildings were breached and a section set on fire. Museveni said “that culture I see in other parts of the world where they are damaging people’s property cannot be tolerated” in Uganda.
“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?’” Museveni wondered, adding, “people in other parts of the world are starving and you here want to disturb us” and making it clear “you are playing with fire because we cannot allow it.”
In Kenya, for weeks, protests have persisted, first beginning with resistance against the taxes in the Finance Bill 2024 (which President Ruto later withdrew), and now calling for his exit two years in his five-year term.
On July 11, Ruto fired his entire cabinet. But on July 19, the Kenyan president named 11 cabinet secretaries (ministers), bringing back six old faces. Prof Kithure Kindiki retained his role as the cabinet secretary in the Ministry of the Interior and National Administration while Aden Duale Barre will keep his role as Defence Cabinet Secretary. Ruto also named the first female Attorney General in Rebecca Miano.
Other cabinet secretaries in Ruto’s first 11 are: Dr Debra Mulonga Barasa for the Ministry of Health; Alice Wahome for the Ministry of Lands, Public Works, Housing and Urban Development; Julius Migosi Ogamba for the Ministry of Education; and Dr Andrew Mwihia Karanja for the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development.
Others are: Roselinda Soipan Tuiya for the Ministry of Environment, Climate Change and Forestry; Eric Muriithi Muuga for the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation; Davis Chirchir for the Ministry of Roads and Transport; and Margaret Nyambura Ndung’u for the Ministry of Information, Communication and the Digital Economy.
But Museveni has in recent weeks threatened to crush corrupt officials but has now warned he will not allow an anti-corruption march! MPs and a permanent secretary are some of the prominent people to have been arrested for corruption. (Read Details Here, There and Over There).
However, some of those exposing the corrupt are being persecuted by powerful politicians. Internal affairs minister Kahinda Otafiire has said demanding accountability is not hate speech, calling on the youth to stand up and pressurize leaders to account. But police has warned against the protests, appearing to be reading from a similar script by the Kenyan security. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
