On August 5, 2024, police in Kampala arrested 14 members of the breakaway FDC Katonga group as they attempted to march to the Kenyan High Commission. The protest aimed to address the arrest of 36 party supporters detained in Kisumu, Kenya.
The group began their march from their offices on Katonga Road, carrying banners with portraits of the detained individuals. However, police intercepted the protesters near the Fairway Junction, just meters from their intended destination.
Among those arrested were prominent FDC leaders, including Kampala Deputy Mayor Doreen Nyanjura and lawmaker Ibrahim Ssemujju. The marchers were briefly held at a nearby police post before being transported to Kampala Central Police Station.
Kampala Metropolitan police spokesperson Patrick Onyango stated that the detainees would be charged with unlawful assembly. Onyango explained that the group had not notified the police about their protest, which was planned to take place on a busy road leading to high-profile offices. He added that the police were processing the detainees for court, where a decision on bail or remand will be made.
The 36 individuals in Kenya, who were arrested at a hotel in Kisumu, face charges of terrorism. They were transferred to Uganda and remanded in Luzira prison until August 13. The charges stem from allegations that they traveled to Kisumu for terrorism training. They were apprehended by Kenyan authorities and later deported to Uganda, where they appeared before the Chief Magistrate’s Court of Nakawa.
Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura Claims Peaceful Protest Disrupted by Police
Doreen Nyanjura, the Deputy Lord Mayor of Kampala and member of opposition FDC Party, has spoken out about the protest organized by the breakaway Katonga group. Nyanjura stated that their demonstration, aimed at delivering a petition to the Kenyan High Commission, was conducted peacefully. She claimed that the police, rather than the protesters, were the source of disturbance during the event.
Nyanjura explained that the group was protesting the abduction of 36 of their members in Kenya. Their objective was to determine whether Kenyan authorities were aware of the situation involving their detained colleagues. She criticized the current government, suggesting that if it were functioning properly, there would be a thorough investigation into the arrests. According to Nyanjura, the government’s reliance on speculation rather than conducting a proper investigation reflects poorly on its effectiveness:
If we had a functional government, they wouldn’t just speculate or make assumptions about terrorism in these arrests. They would conduct a thorough investigation and understand that this training was something we had planned well in advance.
She added in an interview with NTV Uganda:
We were very peaceful while taking our petition to the Kenyan High Commission. We were not the nuisance; the police were. We were protesting the abduction of 36 members from their country and sought to determine whether the Kenyan authorities were aware of it. –
