Metro

Demonstrations erupt in Uganda as citizens protest rising prices

Published

2 years ago

July 25, 2022

Demonstrators on Monday, took over major streets in the eastern Ugandan city of Jinja, a major center on the busy highway to the country’s border with Kenya, protesting the rising cost of living.

The angry protesters barricaded the streets chanting slogans against President Yoweri Museveni’s government as the police tried to remove molten tires from the middle of the road.

The street protests is coming a day after police authorities released an intelligence report and warned of an alleged plot by some “within the country and abroad” to encourage people to stay indoors for three days to protest inflation that has reduced the purchasing value of the Uganda shilling.

“After the three days, they claim their alleged protests will transition into open street demonstrations and mass uprisings, to purposely cause change in government. These are illegitimate and unconstitutional means that we do strongly condemn,” the intelligence report had warned.

However, organizers of the protests say they will not be deterred as prices of basic items have continued to skyrocket beyond the reach of the common man.

One of organizers of the protests who spoke to journalists on the condition of anonymity, noted that the situation has become worrisome as a liter of gasoline in the capital, Kampala, is now selling at a record price of over $1.70, or about $6.90 per gallon, and sometimes even higher in other parts of the country.

“Kampala’s streets are frequently gridlocked during rush hours by buses, minivans and motorcycle taxis but recently have been empty of cars in some areas. Many residents have parked their vehicles because of the high cost of fuel and are instead using passenger motorcycle taxis,” he said.

Meanwhile, President Museveni has continued to resist calls for his government to launch price interventions similar to what Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta has done, including raising the minimum wage and subsidizing the cost of corn flour, a staple food in the Eastern African region.

Museveni has, instead, urged Ugandans to tighten their belts as he blames the war in Ukraine as the cause of the hyper inflation in the country. In a recent speech, he reportedly told the citizens to substitute cassava for bread, saying the starchy root tuber is a healthy alternative.

Related Topics:Cost of Living Demonstrations Featured Protests Uganda

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Metro

Zambia’s ruling party UPND warns against personal attacks on President Hichilema

Published

6 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Isaac Dachen

Zambia’s ruling party, the UPND, has warned opposition politicians and critics against personal attacks on President Hakainde Hichilema as his meekness should not be mistaken for weakness.

Secretary-General of the UPND, Batuke Imenda, who gave the warning in a statement in Lusaka on Monday, urged political opponents to always engage in mature and issue-based discourse.

Zambia Monitor reports that Imenda’s warning, was directed at the leader of Zambia Must Prosper (ZMP) party, Kelvin Bwalya Fube, whose recent remarks Imenda described as “provocative” and a “feeble attempt to mislead citizens.”

“Provocative words uttered by Kelvin Bwalya against our party and President Hichilema are a clear demonstration of naivety,” Imenda said in the statement.

He further advised Bwalya to abandon personal attacks and focus on substantial political issues.

The UPND Secretary suggested that Bwalya’s attacks stemmed from a desire for relevance amid declining political fortunes, hinting at a possible alignment with former President Edgar Lungu.

“It appears KBF is hoping that Edgar Lungu might support his embattled political career by unjustly attacking President Hichilema,” he said.

Imenda defended the President’s record, highlighting that under Hichilema’s leadership, Zambia’s democratic space had expanded compared to the previous PF administration, which he accused of stifling freedoms.

He noted that while criticism was welcome, it should not devolve into baseless attacks, warning that opposition figures should not misinterpret Hichilema’s restraint as weakness.

Imenda also criticized Bwalya for overlooking the gains in transparency and justice since the change in government, claiming that past regimes were marked by resource mismanagement and corruption.

Metro

Following backlash, Nigerian govt withdraws treason charges against minors

Published

13 hours ago

November 5, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian government has officially withdrawn the treason charges it entered against some minors who participated in the #EndBadGovernance protest that spread across the country from August 1 to the 10th.

The nation was thrown into shock on Friday when the Nigeria Police presented 76 protesters at the Federal High Court in Abuja on charges bordering on treason. Among the suspects were four minors who slumped before they could be arraigned before the court.

This caused serious uproar in the country with Nigerians condemning the government and calling for the unconditional release of the kids and the dismissal of the charges against them.

The decision to withdraw the charges against the underage accused came following a directive by President Bola Tinubu who ordered the immediate withdrawal of the charges and an in-depth investigation into what led to the arrest and detention of the minors.

Tinubu had also ordered the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, (SAN) to officially take over the case file as well as review the cases following public outcry that came with the arraignment of the minors.

The charges were finally withdrawn on Tuesday at the Federal High Court in Abuja through an application for discontinuance filled by the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, on behalf of the AGF.

According to Abubakar, the discontinuance application was based on provisions of sections 174(1), (b) and (c) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended, and 108 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Act, ACJA, 2015.

The DPPF also applied for further proceedings to be conducted without the presence of the minors in the courtroom, in line with provisions of Section 266(b) of the ACJA, 2015, and Section 1 of the Childs’ Rights Act.

In response, human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Fanala (SAN), who stood in for the accused as well as other defence lawyers in the matter, did not oppose the applications which promoted the judge, Justice Obiora Egwuatu, to strike out the charges, while the four affected minors were also delisted from the charge sheet.