From London to New York, Toronto to Johannesburg, Ugandans in the diaspora have taken to the streets raising their voices against what they call the “rotting system” back home.
They demand for the immediate release of opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye and all political prisoners detained under President Museveni’s government.
These demonstrations organized by the National Unity Platform (NUP) and other opposition groups come in response to growing concerns over Uganda’s politics that is marked by arrests, intimidation, and suppression of protests.
In Uganda, opposition leaders and activists face relentless suppression. Dr. Kizza Besigye a long-time opposition leader and former presidential candidate remains behind bars with authorities insisting on his continued detention. His arrest has sparked widespread outrage fueling protests both within Uganda and beyond.
In solidarity, Ugandans abroad have mobilized to expose what they describe as human rights violations, election rigging, and the stifling of democracy in their home country.
The protests have seen activists holding placards, chanting slogans, and engaging international human rights organizations to pressure the Ugandan government.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) led by Robert Kyagulanyi has consistently called on Ugandans in the diaspora to use their freedom abroad to shine a light on Uganda’s political struggles.
Unlike their counterparts back home who risk arrest or worse for speaking out, diaspora activists have the advantage of protesting without immediate fear of state repression.
“Whether at home or abroad, we must stand together to make a stronger statement. The injustice must end!”
Their protests have gained momentum catching the attention of international media, human rights bodies, and political figures in countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada.
Ugandan authorities have downplayed these protests dismissing them as “foreign-sponsored propaganda”.
However, the increasing global analysis is adding pressure on President Museveni’s administration which is already facing criticism from human rights organizations over arbitrary arrests, enforced disappearances and suppression of political opponents.
While protests alone may not force immediate change they serve as a reminder that Uganda’s political crisis is not going unnoticed as international pressure mounts and voices from the diaspora grow louder.
