18 arrested over protest against unfulfilled presidential pledges in Kibuku
A total of 18 youth leaders from Bukedi subregion were arrested and detained at Kibuku Central Police Station following a demonstration over unfulfilled pledges made by President Museveni during the last general election.
Those detained include prominent youth leaders such as Amina Namisugu, the current Vice Chairperson of Kibuku District, Gerald Tenko, the NRM Chairperson for Eastern Division Tororo, Joseph Omondo, NRM Youth League Chairperson in Nagongera, Isaac Orono, the former male youth councillor for Tororo, Amina Were, the current Youth Councillor for Kibuku, Harriet Awino, the former female youth councillor for Tororo, Bernard Opio, the NRM Youth Chairperson for Nabiyonga, among others.
Keep Reading
Their arrests occurred around 3 pm, shortly after the group held a press conference at Kibuku District Headquarters, aiming to air their grievances and seek attention from the president who was in the district.
The directive to detain them was reportedly issued by Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Kibuku, Samuel Mushiho.
According to the detained youth leaders, their protest was motivated by frustration over unmet promises made by President Museveni in 2020.
They claim that during a campaign meeting with the youth leaders at Mbale Secondary School playgrounds, the president promised to financially support each of them if re-elected.
Since then, the group states they have not received any updates or follow-through on this pledge, with Museveni’s current term again nearing its conclusion.
"We’re just asking the president to remember his promises to us, "one of the detained youth leaders remarked.
"We were promised financial support, and many of us are still waiting for assistance to help our communities and youth programs.”
The arrests coincided with President Museveni’s tour in Bukedi subregion to assess the progress of the Parish Development Model program in the subregion.
The president is scheduled to continue his visit to Butaleja today, followed by a rally in Pallisa on Sunday.
Despite the peaceful nature of the demonstration, police intervention led to the detention of the youth leaders. They are expected to remain in custody pending further investigation, and no immediate release date has been given.
The demonstration highlights ongoing frustrations among some youth leaders in the region who feel overlooked by the government’s development agendas and unfulfilled campaign promises.
As the president continues his tour, it remains unclear whether the concerns raised by the detained youth leaders will be addressed.
Local officials have yet to make a formal statement regarding the arrests of these youths, though Kibuku RDC Samuel Mushiho is expected to address the matter soon.
