The Leader of Opposition (LOP) in the Parliament of Uganda, Joel Ssenyonyi, has accused the House of exhibiting double standards after many young people were arrested around Kampala for attempting to march to Parliament in a demonstration against corruption.
While speaking on the floor of parliament on July 23, 2024, Ssenyonyi, who also doubles as the National Unity Platform (NUP) party spokesperson, said that last week some protesters were allowed on the premises of Parliament, but this time many were arrested and denied access to parliament.
“Last week we saw protesters demonstrating against Hon. Theodore Ssekikubo, the MP for Lwemiyaga County, being welcomed with placards and even met the speaker, but today some young people who were marching have been bundled up and many are in jail, and I thought you would receive them and listen to their concerns about corruption,” Senyonyi said.
Ssenyonyi further wondered why the demonstrators were not accorded the same treatment as those who were allowed in parliament last week.
“I don’t know why they were not accorded the same respect; they were not coming to fight; they didn’t have daggers; they had placards similar to the other ones; I thought, honourable speaker, you would help us understand if they were orders from your office,” Ssenyonyi added.
Ssenyonyi’s remarks came after many young people were arrested as they attempted to march to parliament to demonstrate against corruption, where they accused the Speaker of Parliament, Hon. Anita Among, and other MPs of corruption.
The demonstrations, which were dubbed leaderless, could have been inspired by Kenyan youths who a few weeks ago marched to the Kenyan parliament demonstrating over the finance bill 2024, which they said was introducing taxes that were not favourable to the common man.