#March2Parliament

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Good morning 🌤️ They said the revolution would be televised, but since our digital media empire is in its nascence, we’re documenting it.

A significant chunk of today’s newsletter is dedicated to the #March2Parliament protests as we try to do our small part to amplify the voices of many frustrated Ugandans.

And if, God forbid, you’re ambivalent, the regular news is peppered herein as well, but you should really consider growing a spine.

—Gloria Mbabazi, Shem Opolot

#MARCH2PARLIAMENT 

Gen-Zs in Kenya sneezed, and Uganda caught the bug. The strain? The same—anti-corruption. A group of young, conscientious Ugandans organized a peaceful protest dubbed #March2Parliament. These were/are their demands. 

1. Resignation of Anita Annet Among as the Speaker of Uganda's Parliament.

2. Resignation of the four backbench commissioners.

3. Reducing the number of Members of Parliament.

4. The members of parliament involved in any corruption scandal should resign amid investigations.

5. Auditing and publicizing the lifestyles of all the Members of Parliament.

6. Cutting salaries and allowances of all Members of Parliament to Shs. 3 million.

7. Allowing Ugandans to exercise their democratic right to peacefully assemble without blockage.

🚨 Protests and Arrests: Ugandan Police arrested at least 45 protesters on July 23, and the tally soared to 104 by July 27. The contrived charges ranged from "common nuisance" to the ever-popular "idle and disorderly"—the government's favorite catch-all phrase for "we don't like your attitude." 

👮🏾‍♂️ Government Response: President Yoweri Museveni wagged his finger and warned protesters they were "playing with fire." Because nothing says "I'm listening," like deploying battalions of police across Kampala, blocking roads, and preemptively arresting some activists before they left their houses. Museveni also declared that the planners of these anti-graft protests "wanted to do very bad things, conveniently—and predictably—shifting the blame to shadowy foreign forces supposedly responsible for inciting the youth-led demonstrations on Tuesday and Thursday. 

💼 Legal Proceedings: The courtrooms became as busy as a bargain bin on Black Friday. The arrested were hustled in front of judges and pleaded not guilty, setting the stage for hearings between July 30 and August 6. Meanwhile, human rights organizations decried the government's actions as blatant violations of the Constitution’s promises of peaceful assembly and free speech.

🤲🏾 How can you help? Movements are not only made up of foot soldiers. The greatest enemy of these efforts is your apathy. 

So, if not your body, give of your time, your knowledge, or your resources to fight for a better Uganda:

Click here to donate via GoFundMe.

Otherwise 👇🏾

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