In just one week, a court has remanded two Ugandans over cases related to criticism of Speaker Anita Annet Among.
One activist leading efforts to expose alleged corruption, abuse of office and diversion of funds at Uganda’s parliament, which Speaker Among lords over, is ‘suggesting’ that a special prison be built to lock up people who annoy the speaker, the country’s number three in official hierarchy.
In any case, it has emerged that it was Parliamentary Police that carried out the arrest, in the night, of former Rubaga Division deputy resident city commissioner Anderson Burora.
People just appeared at his home and told him they would only leave with him.On July 03, Buganda Road Chief Magistrates Court Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi remanded Burora to Luzira Prison on charges of hate speech and malicious information contrary to the Computer Misuse Act.
The state did not offer details on what statements amounted to hate speech or malicious information, prompting Burora’s lawyers and anti-corruption activists to label the charge sheet defective.
As has been the case with the state arresting suspects and then taking a long time to investigate as the suspect is on remand, prosecution asked for more time to conduct investigations.
Court also sent another activist, Fatuma Nansubuga, on remand in Luzira Prison after she demanded that Speaker Anita Among resigns, and Uganda gets freed from corruption. Nansubuga, 34, who resides in Kalerwe faces charges of being a public nuisance and causing inconveniences to people doing their duties.
Arrested during a protest in Kampala on July 02, Nansubuga appeared before Buganda Road Court Grade One Magistrate Caroline Kyoshabire. After Nansubuga pleaded not guilty to the charges, Kyoshabire remanded her to Luzira until July 09.
With focus on the use of the law to persecute Speaker Anita Among’s critics and silence anti-corruption voices, Dr Jimmy Spire Ssentongo, who leads strategy at anti-corruption group AGORA and has led the online Uganda Parliament Exhibition, is now suggesting — tongue in cheek — a special prison to detain the speaker’s critics.
“Dear Hon. Anita Among, at this rate, we need to build a special prison for you to lock up all those who annoy you. How dare they ask you to account!!! Kindly create an item on the budget for ‘critics incarceration expenses’. More power to you,” said Ssentongo, who is known for his satirical pieces and bold activism.
The suspended deputy RCC has also argued that Speaker Anita Among of holding Museveni to ransom.About three months before his arrest, Anderson Burora claimed his life was in danger, and that if he dies nobody should believe that it was an accident or a heart attack.
