The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs in charge of Regional Affairs, John Mulimba, has cautioned Ugandans against attempting to replicate the protests in Kenya that pressured President William Ruto’s government to ease abandon new tax measures.
“Don’t try this at home. Kindly tell Ugandans not to replicate what they saw in Nairobi,” the minister said.
During the protests in Kenya, Uganda House, a commercial building on Kenyatta Avenue in Nairobi’s Central Business District, was vandalized and set ablaze.
The minister noted that the damage incurred by the government was substantial.
The six-floor building, which had recently been refurbished, was scheduled to reopen on June 28. However, due to the extensive damage, these plans are now postponed.
“After assessing the extent of the damage, we will initiate renovation plans and select a new date for reopening,” he said.
Mulimba said the government is in talks with Kenya on several issues, including the damage to Uganda House, economic concerns, and the movement of people between the two nations.
He reassured that the incident would not disrupt activities at the Ugandan Embassy in Kenya.
“Our embassy continues its work as usual because the burnt building is not where the embassy is located. I have spoken to our officials there, and they have confirmed everything is moving on well,” he said.
While the incident caused extensive property damage, no fatalities or serious injuries were reported.
Recently, the sighting of a police riot truck in Kenya led some Kenyans to speculate that Uganda was aiding the Kenyan government in suppressing the riots.
This speculation suggested that the building was targeted by protesters for this reason. However, the Uganda Police have denied these allegations.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga on Monday refuted claims that a Uganda police truck was involved in quelling protests in Kenya.
He clarified that the truck, seen in video footage amidst protesters in Nakuru, was actually transporting a Uganda police fire truck back to Uganda for repairs.
A source within the government on Wednesday told the Nile Post that there was speculation about the building being targeted but emphasized that investigations were still ongoing.
Yusuf Nsibambi, MP Mawokota South, noted that although his business was one of those affected by the fire at Uganda House in Kenya, his loss is incomparable to the exploitation and oppression that the Kenyan youths are protesting against, and he expressed support for their pursuit of freedom.
Nsibambi, who is the Whip for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) in Parliament, said that what has happened in Kenya could easily happen in Uganda if MPs continue to dismiss the wishes of Ugandans, by focusing on enriching themselves instead of working to improve the quality of life for Ugandans.
“Whatever is happening in Kenya is quite unfortunate. The youth have taken over the mantle of liberating themselves from exploitation and oppression, and the alleged connivance by Parliament to mismanage the economy,” he said while addressing the media at Parliament.
He said they are protesting the Finance Bill, which is the equivalent of what they have gone through in Parliament.
“On a personal note, I have a forex bureau in Uganda House called Link Forex Bureau, which was looted and completely run down. So I am affected, but I am very happy that the youths have come out to tell the world that enough is enough. What isn’t happening here is specifically because we have been brought up to believe and accept oppression and exploitation,” said Nsibambi.
The Kayadondo East MP, Nkunyingi Muwada, has asked Kenyans to ignore the statement issued by Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, implicating protesters in the burning of Uganda House in Kenya, saying Uganda has no jurisdiction to investigate and reach such conclusions before Kenyan investigative authorities do so.
Muwada, who doubles as Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs, made the remarks while addressing journalists at Parliament.
He accused the Ugandan government of issuing a premature and reckless statement, saying such a move could endanger the lives of Ugandans who have lived, worked, and traded in Kenya for a long time.
Kenya is currently gripped by nationwide protests against proposed tax hikes, culminating in Tuesday’s “total shutdown” of the country.
The protests quickly turned violent as police used tear gas and live rounds on demonstrators.
Last week, the Kenyan government scrapped some tax increases, including a proposed 16 percent value-added tax on bread, along with taxes on motor vehicles, vegetable oil, and mobile money transfers.
However, these concessions have not been enough to quell protests amid the rising cost of living.
The controversy over the budget follows other revenue-raising measures introduced by President William Ruto, including increased taxes for healthcare and low-cost housing. Several leaders have condemned the government’s use of force against peaceful demonstrators, which has resulted in several deaths.
Ruto on Wednesday bowed to pressure from Kenyans after several protests and declined to sign the Finance Bill, 2024 into law.
The move follows Tuesday’s deadly protests that saw demonstrators breach Parliament premises for the first time in Kenya’s history.
“Following the passage of the Bill, the country witnessed widespread expression of dissatisfaction with the Bill as passed, regrettably resulting in the loss of life, destruction of property, and desecration of constitutional institutions. I send condolences to the families of those who lost their loved ones in this unfortunate manner”
“Consequently, having reflected on the continuing conversation around the content of the Finance Bill, 2024, I will decline to assent to the Bill,” he said in a televised.
President Ruto’s decision will likely be seen as an attempt to de-escalate the already rising tensions following Tuesday’s countrywide demonstrations.
