NEWS- The Police in Kabale district have in detention two Journalists and Social media influencers in alleged connection with the planned “March to UMEME” protest scheduled for today, Friday, August 9, 2024.
Those in Police cells according to sources are Job Namanya Apuuli, a journalist with Vision Group, Obed Kankiriho, a journalist affiliated with The Source UG Website and Daily Monitor, social media influencers Murungi Charlotte Kemigisha, commonly known as Kemmy and Tumuranze Precious.
They were apprehended on Thursday night by the Kabale Police, at around 11:40 PM at Café Barista, a popular hangout in Kabale Municipality.
The arrests according to witnesses were led by Andrew Akanyijuka, the Officer in Charge of Kabale Police Station, who stormed the café with several officers and presented an arrest warrant citing charges of inciting violence.
The group was then swiftly taken to Kabale Police Station, where they are currently being detained.
Cue in…………Job & Obed
The arrests come in the wake of a social media campaign that has been gaining momentum, mobilizing residents for a peaceful demonstration against UMEME, the electricity distribution company.
The protest, dubbed “March to Kabale UMEME Offices,” is in response to the frequent and prolonged power outages in the region, which have severely disrupted daily life and local businesses.
Residents have expressed growing frustration with UMEME’s inconsistent power supply, which they claim has had a detrimental impact on services and livelihoods in the area. The planned march aims to hold UMEME accountable and demand reliable electricity services for the community.
Though the Kabale District Resident Commissioner RDC says that this is an unfortunate incident and was uncalled for because there are no strong links of the arrested individuals with the protest, the situation remains tense as the community awaits further developments, with many questioning the legality of the arrests and the implications for freedom of expression and peaceful protest in the region.
