Government critical protests in Kenya are spreading to Uganda
The government-critical protests in Kenya seem to be spreading to neighboring Uganda. In Kampala, the Ugandan capital, dozens of people tried to reach the parliament on Tuesday to protest against corruption at the highest level. The police and military showed massive presence and arrested the protesters, as observed by reporters from the Associated Press. Some participants were beaten up by officials and loaded into trucks.
Recently, allegations of corruption against Parliament President Anita Among in Uganda have caused a stir. This involves suspected irregularities in the budget of her office and people in her entourage. Against Among, the USA and Britain have imposed sanctions due to the allegations, and investigations into the origin of her wealth are ongoing in Uganda. She has denied any wrongdoing.
The organizers of the protests in Uganda appear to have been inspired by the events in Kenya, where street protests against planned tax increases forced President William Ruto to dismiss almost his entire cabinet. Since the unrest in Kenya began, at least 50 people have been killed and over 400 others injured, according to the National Human Rights Commission.
On Tuesday, clashes were reported between government critics and a group of government supporters emerging in Nairobi. A hotspot of the protests was the area around the international airport of the capital, where the police used teargas against hundreds of demonstrators who blocked an access road. The military was also sent to a pipeline area east of Nairobi.
In response to the protests in Kenya, similar government-critical demonstrations have emerged in Uganda's capital, Kampala. The organizers in Uganda are likely drawing inspiration from the impact of protests in Kenya, where they succeeded in prompting significant political changes.
