Uganda’s President Yoweri Museveni has praised the armed forces, security personnel, and citizens for their non-participation in the anti-corruption march to Parliament on Tuesday.
Museveni alleged that the organizers intended to harm Ugandan citizens during the protests.
He criticized the demonstration for being funded by foreign sources, which he claimed are interfering in Africa’s internal affairs.
Museveni condemned this alleged foreign funding, citing it as part of a broader pattern of external interference in African matters.
“That demonstration had two bad elements. Element no.1, was funding from foreign sources that are always meddling in the internal affairs of Africa for the last 600 years ─ the slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, genocide, economic exploitation, etc.”
“Some of the authors and participants of the demonstrations were planning very bad things against the people of Uganda. Those very bad things will come out in court when those arrested are being tried. It is possible, that some of the participants, did not know of the planned foreign funding and the planned bad things.” Museveni added
Museveni had warned protesters that they would be “playing with fire” if they press ahead with plans to stage an anti-corruption march to Parliament on Tuesday.
Young Ugandans had organised the march on social media to demand an end to corruption in government.
In a televised address, Mr Museveni warned the Ugandan organisers that their planned protest would not be tolerated.