By Timothy Kalyegira
Western embassies have been quiet all along as opposition presidential candidates and supporters were arrested or killed.
More than 50 Ugandans were shot dead by the security forces during the rioting that followed Bobi Wine’s arrest last month, but apart from vague statements of concern, western diplomats in Kampala remained silent.
But now that Nicholas Opiyo, a lawyer who has specialised, among other things, in defending Ugandan gays is arrested, suddenly every western embassy is responding in emergency mode.
Press release after press release is being written. The arrest of Opiyo is being treated as a bigger story by western governments and media than the arrest last month of Bobi Wine.
Condemnation of Opiyo’s arrest is coming in thick and fast and I wouldn’t be surprised if the World Bank or some European governments announce they are suspending funding to Uganda.
Maybe to remove the NRM government, in 2026 the opposition should just look for a gay and front him as a presidential candidate.
He will get more campaign funding from Europe than entire Ugandan government ministries.
Western diplomatic cars will escort him to all his campaign rallies around the country and the U.S. embassy might even arrange for U.S. marines to act as his bodyguards.
That will be the election in which hundreds of American and European election agents pour into the country to count every ballot cast for thus gay presidential candidate.
Timothy Kalyegira is a Ugandan journalist.
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