Kampala, Uganda | By Michael Wandati | The Gen-Z anti-corruption protests in Kampala have taken a surprising twist as demonstrators adopted a bold new strategy: nudity.
Earlier today, security forces arrested a group of nude protesters near the Parliament building, causing significant disruption in the area.
Praise Aloikin, a Law student at Makerere University; Norah Tshetshe; and Kemitoma Siperia Mollie, a former Guild leader, protesting against corruption within Parliament, removed their clothing as a form of protest, instantly attracting the attention of both passers-by and security personnel.
Two of the protesters were wearing only underwear, with their breasts painted in the national colors—black, yellow, and red. One of the protestors had the words “Kiteezi was preventable” written on her back, with another message reading “Anita Must Resign” on her thighs.
The women carried placards with messages such as “Uganda is not poor, they are stealing its wealth” and another with a more explicit message, “Corruption has ******me. I am here to moan,” alongside another that read, “Say no to Corruption, for the Children.”
The protest, which was reportedly premeditated, saw the naked participants marching toward Parliament while holding placards with various slogans.
Among the demands were calls for accountability from the Kampala City Council Authority (KCCA) regarding the recent tragedy at the Kiteezi landfill.
The lot who were picketing under a ‘Uganda Freedom Activists’ banner were intercepted by both uniformed and un-uniformed police officers, and taking them to an undisclosed location.
This protest follows a similar demonstration last month, where several protestors were arrested for demanding the resignation of Speaker Anita Annet Among, whom they accused of corruption.
Luke Owoyesigyire, Deputy Spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Area Police said the protestors will be charged with common nuisance .
Human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza remarked that the nude protesters “expose the nakedness” of corruption and the corrupt in Uganda.
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“Will the government led by Kaguta Museveni finally see and address (dress) the corruption?,” Mr. Kiiza asked in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Mr. Kiiza said the Police “should look for the corrupt instead of gazing at the naked young women.”
Authorities have yet to issue an official statement about the incident, and the identities of the protestors remain undisclosed. The demonstration briefly disrupted traffic and caused a commotion in the area, but normalcy was quickly restored following the arrests.
The incident has ignited a heated debate on social media, with divided opinions on the effectiveness and appropriateness of such a form of protest.
The arrested protestors are likely to face charges, though the specific legal actions that will be taken against them remain unclear.
