The Observer has learned that police have intensified security measures on all roads leading to the parliament of Uganda.
Several access routes to and from the parliamentary precincts have been blocked, restricting public entry except for those working in the area. This heightened security comes in response to recent sporadic protests against both parliament and the speaker, as well as terror alerts issued by the United Nations. The roadblocks were put in place last week.
The affected roads include Parliament Avenue, Said Barre Avenue, Colville Street, and Kimathi Avenue. Parliament Avenue has been blocked off a few meters from Jinja Road, Said Barre Avenue from the National Theatre, Colville Street from Jinja Road, and Kimathi Avenue from the Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) headquarters.
In July, police similarly increased security following organized protests against parliament and the speaker. Demonstrators accused the legislative body of corruption and misappropriation of funds, calling for the speaker’s resignation.
These protests were sparked by a series of corruption scandals involving parliament. On June 22, 2024, Speaker Anita Among publicly pledged her support for five MPs who were detained on corruption charges, further fueling public outrage.
The five MPs involved in the corruption scandal include Lwengo District Woman MP Cissy Namujju, Busiki MP Paul Akamba, Bunyole East MP Yusuf Mutembuli, Igara East MP Mawanda Michael Maranga, and Elgon MP Wamakuyu Ignatius Mudimi. Namujju, Akamba, and Mutembuli are accused of soliciting bribes from Mariam Wangadya, the chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), in exchange for enhancing the commission’s budget.
The MPs allegedly agreed to take 20% of the enhanced 2024/2025 budget as part of this deal. Additionally, Wamakuyu, Leonard Kavundira (the assistant registrar of Cooperatives in the ministry of Trade), Mawanda, Akamba, and Kirya face accusations of conspiring to defraud Shs 7.3 billion allocated for compensation to Buyaka Growers Cooperative Society Limited.
The protests against parliament, driven by these corruption scandals, resulted in the arrest of over 50 demonstrators, many of them youth, who were on their way to the parliament building. The arrested individuals were charged and remanded to Luzira prison. Since then, heightened security measures have been implemented around parliament, with multiple security checks conducted by both police and the army.
During a handover ceremony at St. Charles Lwanga, Kigarama parish in Ruhinda North, Mitooma district, Speaker of Parliament Anita Among addressed calls for her resignation.
“I only have one term to serve. When I finish serving my one term, I will give it to Tayebwa to continue. I don’t want to cling to power. I have one term to go, then I hand it over to him. To those calling me to resign, you want me to resign and go where?” she stated.
The church was built by Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa and his associates. The speaker also defended parliament, saying, “Stealing doesn’t start in parliament. Let’s stop demonizing parliament. When you start marching against corruption, people appreciate it, but we no longer have any conflict with the executive.”
In an interview with The Observer, Patrick Onyango, the Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, clarified that the roadblocks set up around parliament were not related to recent terror alerts from the United States and the United Nations.
“The roadblocks are aimed at deterring politically motivated crimes such as demonstrations and protests. Only roads leading to parliament are being affected,” he explained.
Onyango added that intelligence reports indicated potential protests involving shirtless men marching to parliament, prompting the need for roadblocks to prevent disruptions to parliamentary activities.