Uganda faces continuing protests over rising prices
Hundreds of people have been demonstrating in Uganda's capital over the past few days,
protesting high food prices and the brutal tactics employed by police during recent
political rallies. Uganda has seen at least half a dozen major political rallies in
the last month concerning high food prices and government corruption. Security forces
have cracked down, and human rights groups claim at least nine protestors were shot
dead over the weekend.
John Baptist Tumusiime is a journalist for Vatican Radio’s
Africa Section, and a citizen of Uganda. He says the situation is difficult for security
personnel.
“A number of politicians have groups – mobs – that follow them,
especially the unemployed youth, he said. “Many of the come from villages, they don’t
have any level of education. They want jobs that are not there. So what do they
do? They break into people’s shops, they loot. They destroy property.”
But
he thinks in many cases, the police have over reacted.
“I think there are certain
excesses by the police. For example, tear gas was overused, and there was also shooting
live bullets…some civilians were also caught in this, people who had nothing to do
with it. Some excesses have been there, and the President has admitted these excesses.”
He
pointed out the Catholic Church in Uganda has called for constructive dialogue aimed
at a unified, stable nation.
Listen to the full interview by Charles Collins
with John Baptist Tumusiime: