Ever since the elections in February, the opposition has been threatening peaceful demonstrations. The demonstrations started a few weeks ago, ostensibly to protest rising petrol (gas) and food prices. Actually, they started during exams.
Mondays and Thursdays were deemed “walk to work” days as a protest, and succeeded in gnarling up traffic in the usually jammed Kampala quite well. The police, in an effort to keep the peace and protect people as spontaneous demonstrations/riots popped up, have been arresting opposition leaders.
I’ve not mentioned the demonstrations here yet because 1. I hoped all would settle down (silly me), 2. I didn’t think it would escalate (sillier me), and 3. I didn’t want to freak out my mom.
Mom – I’m very safe, though clearly housebound, at the Muhimas.
Things escalated badly yesterday, and continue today. I won’t link to any articles, but please pray for peace and safety. The police overreacted yesterday, and badly mistreated one of the opposition leaders in order to arrest him for like the fourth time in two weeks. Parliament, and clearly the public, is outraged. I’ve not checked the news yet, but I’m sure that’s the root of today’s demonstrations, that are all over Kampala. We had an interesting discussion about the situation and civil liberties over dinner last night, but clearly, everyone is in the wrong here. The opposition is being provocative, and the police are overreacting.
The president said the other day that he would meet with opposition leaders, though few hold out hopes for this being productive.
Uganda is called the “Pearl of Africa,” and the [fairly] peaceful elections served as a model for the continent. Please pray for people not to get swept up into the rebellion that is sweeping the north of the continent.
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