Women’s Global Network for Reproductive Rights Africa (WGNRR AFRICA), partners and allies from across Africa , stands in solidarity with young people of Uganda and condemns their arrests by the Ugandan police officers when they were exercising their civil right of standing against corruption and human rights abuses in their country. 

According to Reuters, Ugandan police detained several young people, including Charles Tumwebaze, a fervent youth SRHR activist in Kampala, during the second day of peaceful anti-corruption protests in Kampala, when young people have taken to the streets to demand accountability from their elected leaders. Instead of being heard, these peaceful young people faced suppression, arrests and detention.

Charged with Public Nuisance, the detained youths have been denied their fundamental right to  bail while Public Nuisance is generally a bailable offense in Uganda. They are also denied the right to be visited by their loved ones. All these constitute blatant violations of their fundamental civil human rights guaranteed both by the Ugandan constitution, the Penal Code, and the regional and international human rights instruments that Uganda is part of. 

WGNRR Africa, partners and allies across the Africa region join their voices to express our solidarity with Young people and peaceful protesters of Uganda, and call upon their immediate release. 

We urge the Government of Uganda to heed the voices of its youth and address the systemic corruption that impedes young people to fulfill their fundamental rights, including right to health, education, employment, civic participation, equality before the law, etc… . Suppressing these voices will not solve the problem, rather will only worsen it,.

We invite CSOS, human right organizations and human right defenders to stand in solidarity with young people of Uganda in their struggle against corruption. 

#FreeCharlesTumwebaze

#FreeYoungPeople

#SayNoToCorruption