Ugandan teen arrested for annoying President Museveni
Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni addresses the nation from State House in Entebbe on September 9, 2018. PHOTO | SUMY SADURNI | AFP
What you need to know:
- Joseph Kasumba is a resident of Kanoni and the driver of a pickup truck that transports agricultural produce to markets in the area.
- The man allegedly abused the president on January 1 as he (Museveni) travelled from St. John's Cathedral, Kasaka, where he had attended a New Year’s church service.
- He is likely to be charged with alarming, annoying and ridiculing the person of the president contrary to the Penal Code Act.
- Kasumba is not the first person to get in trouble for allegedly attacking the president.
Police in Gomba District, Uganda, have arrested a 19-year-old man for allegedly abusing President Yoweri Museveni.
They identified the suspect as Joseph Kasumba, a resident of Kanoni Town and the driver of a pickup truck that transports agricultural produce to markets in the area.
BLOCKADE
Mr Kasumba allegedly abused the president on January 1 as he (Museveni) travelled from St. John's Cathedral, Kasaka, where he had attended a New Year’s church service.
"When his convoy reached Kanoni Town, Special Forces Command soldiers reportedly ordered one of the drivers to move his vehicle from the road to allow the presidential motorcade to pass," said a police source who did not want to be named because he’s not authorised to speak to the media.
"That was when a group of youth allegedly led by Kasumba started exchanging words with the soldiers and abused President Museveni, calling him all sorts of names including Bosco. They also accused him of constructing narrow roads," the source said on Thursday.
Gomba District police commander Robert Kuzaara said Mr Kasumba was in their custody at Kanoni Police Station and that a probe was opened.
He said the suspect is likely to be charged with alarming, annoying and ridiculing the person of the president contrary to the Penal Code Act.
OTHER CASES
Mr Kasumba is not the first person to get in trouble for allegedly attacking the president.
Makerere University research fellow, Dr Stella Nyanzi, also spent the festive season in jail over abusing President Museveni and his later mother on her Facebook page on September 16.
In October last year, one Suzan Namata was arrested after ecording a video in which she threated to 'hit the head of State with her genitals' if he didn’t release Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, from prison.
In the same month, detectives arrested Moses Nsubuga, popularly known as Viboyo, for singing a song in which he allegedly used obscene words to refer to government leaders including President Museveni and parliament Speaker Rebecca Kadaga.
Last July, Mr Hope Mulangira Kaweesa, a Democratic Party supporter, was apprehended for allegedly circulating an audio in which he threatened to harm President Museveni.
