““This is a purely political, rather than a judicial decision. The magistrate has not addressed himself to our justice system because someone is presumed innocent until proven guilty”- Lukwago after Buganda Rd Court denied Besigye bail” (Daily Monitor, 17.06.2022).
“Former FDC president Dr Kizza Besigye and political activist Samuel Makaku have been further remanded to Luzira Prison until July 1 following their arrest on June 14 as they protested in downtown Kampala over high commodity prices” (STV Uganda, 17.06.2022).
Just like the tumultuous May, the June and possibly July will be for Dr. Kizza Besigye. He has already charges and is re-charged again this week. Now, he will have to await further court dates and await new bail/bond hearing in July. Therefore, the last two months it has been hectic and he has meet the hostile authorities.
We knew this would happen, as he together with the Red Card Front has launched the “Wake Up” Campaign to get people to protest the rising commodity prices in the Republic. The authorities, the law enforcement and everyone else is going after him. That’s why his been in Luzira earlier this year and was re-arrested yet again. Now his spending another 2 weeks in prison for protesting and demonstrating for a just cause.
The justification for all of this is the usual charge of “inciting to violence”. The state will never produce any proof of that or disturbance of public order either. That’s because there is no time for that and neither is there any levels of public outcry to begin with. This is why his alone in this and with very few allies on the front-line.
Dr. Kizza Besigye has done this so many times before. Someone who knows the judiciary, the courts and the prisons. That is something that his been excelling and has vast experience with. That’s because of his activism and his political drive. His a savvy man and a man who can inspire. This is why the authorities silences him and stops him in his tracks. They don’t want him to actually galvanise or even get people to understand his mission. Because, if he does… then it could spark a sincere revolution, which haven’t been seen before.
However, for that to happen. He needs enough meeting points and ability to organize. Which the state is doing whatever they can to stop. This is why they silence him and makes him a felon. As he goes from one prison to another. He goes from one charge to the next. This is a never ending cycle and Besigye seems to never win.
We are seeing constitutional rights being thwarted and devalued on a massive scale. As the rights to protest and demonstrate is dwindling. It was only the beginning with the Public Order Management Act (POMA) and they have a steady use of the Penal Code to incriminate people for misdemeanour crimes, which they never investigate or have any official discovery off. Therefore, the cases dies and the political use of the courts is all for the public to see.
Besigye is a victim. His an enemy of the state just for acting upon his own conscience and what he deems as right. The police and the army is following him. They are awaiting the next time he speaks on the streets and they will capture him. Where they will brutally take him away and whisk him off the streets. As his a problem and a voice of reason, a voice that is countering the agenda and the memo’s of the State House. Peace.
MinBane 