Uganda’s capital experiences anti-corruption protests sparked by recent events in Kenya.

 Ugandan security forces detained numerous individuals on Tuesday as they attempted to march towards the parliament in protest against high-level corruption, deemed illegal by authorities.

Police and military personnel were heavily deployed across various parts of Kampala where small groups of demonstrators had congregated. Some protesters were forcibly loaded onto trucks amidst physical altercations with police, who are known for using strong tactics to disband rallies led by opposition figures and others.

The protests mirror actions in neighboring Kenya, where recent street demonstrations prompted the president to dismiss nearly his entire cabinet following widespread opposition to a controversial tax proposal.

The unrest in Uganda was spurred by mounting allegations of corruption involving parliament speaker Anita Among, who has dismissed calls for her resignation. The anti-corruption movement began with online revelations alleging improper spending by the speaker’s office and her associates.

Among, a prominent figure in Uganda’s ruling party, has faced sanctions from the U.S. and U.K., yet denies any wrongdoing. Her supporters argue she is unfairly targeted in a country plagued by widespread official corruption. She is currently under official investigation for her wealth sources and alleged misuse of parliamentary resources.

President Yoweri Museveni, an authoritarian leader in power since 1986, condemned street protests over the weekend, asserting they were unacceptable.

“We have defended Uganda’s revolutionary path in the past and will continue to do so,” Museveni declared in a televised address, cautioning protest organizers of severe consequences.

Museveni’s administration has been accused of shielding corrupt officials from legal repercussions. Despite promises to combat corruption after his re-election in 2021, skepticism remains widespread among Ugandans.

Local media frequently report on corruption cases, yet activists and opposition figures attempting street protests face arrest under a law mandating prior police notification for rallies.