After eight days in Luzira Prison during the March to Parliament in 2024, I was summoned to an office in Kololo.
When I arrived, I found Maj. Gen. James Birungi and another officer from a sister intelligence agency. I won't mention the other officer because, throughout the three-hour interrogation, he treated me with dignity and actually protected me.
It was during that meeting that I realized they had never known that Ugandans on X had a president until the March to Parliament protests. They had seen countless posts demanding the release of "their president," including several prominent accounts they specifically mentioned during the interrogation. As a result, they believed I was one of the masterminds behind the protests,because of the "presidency" and one of their central questions was: "Who funded you to protest?"
Every answer I gave made Birungi more frustrated and more hostile. At one point, he even raised his hand to slap me, but the other officer restrained him.
Fast forward to yesterday, he was remanded before the military court on treachery charges after spending many months in detention.
Friends, in a broken country, no one is safe. Those who use their offices to intimidate and persecute citizens speaking out against injustice should remember that the same broken system can eventually turn against them.
Instead of harassing those demanding accountability, use whatever office you hold to do the right thing. If you cannot change the system from the outside, at least refuse to strengthen its injustices from within. One day, the system you served without question will come for you too.
Naye mubiwulila?
🚨🔒 EXCLUSIVE: Prison FC are in advanced talks to sign Anitah.
Understand Anitah has made it clear throughout negotiations that Prison FC is the only club she wants to join, with the chance to reunite with Chris Obore a decisive factor.
Medical currently underway. Paperwork being signed.
Final steps remain before the official announcement.
HERE WE GO. 🟡⚫
In Betrayal – Season II
Judge: Chris.
Chris: Yes, Your Honour.
Judge: You fully understand the charges against you and the consequences if you're convicted?
Chris: Absolutely, Your Honour.
Judge: We're talking about up to 14 years in prison... and refunding every shilling in question.
Chris: I understand completely, Your Honour.
Judge: Here is the thing. The prosecution says it would consider a reduced sentence if you turned state witness against AAA.
I'll give you time to think about it.
Chris: No, Your Honour. I don't need any time.
In fact... where do I sign?
...To be continued soon.
If u arrest parliament staff, AAA, clerk and commissioners, then u must go for the deputy speaker too, it's the whole chain, the moment u leave him out, u are already biased😒😒😒😒
For a man that’s gone through such times and worse, to still be jailed at 70years and not allowed a fair trial is something we may take forever to explain to the generations after us!
#FREEBESIGYE
@Theholisticpsyc Emotional regulation matters, but this oversimplifies anxiety... For many people who've experienced abuse, assault, rape, chronic trauma...etc, anxiety is a natural response to overwhelming experiences not simply an inability to regulate emotions.
Unpopular opinion:
I won’t be writing long paragraphs thanking Magistrate Atim Sheila for doing her job.
I CANNOT.
An independent judiciary is not a favour to Ugandans; it’s our constitutional right. The minimum expectation of anyone who chooses to serve in the judiciary is that they uphold the law independently, even when there is pressure to do otherwise.
We are entitled to justice. We are entitled to an independent judiciary. We are entitled to be treated with dignity and fairness. Those are rights; not privileges that require us to plead, celebrate, or shower praise when they are respected.
When a judicial officer delivers a decision independently and in accordance with the law, they have done what the office requires of them. That should be the standard, not the exception.
I don’t think we should normalize treating constitutional obligations as acts of courage deserving applause.
You could tell from the entire exercise today that she was internally struggling with something. Perhaps Matembe’s tears yesterday did not let her sleep peacefully, plus all the public sentiments that followed. She finally gathered the courage to say words that many of her colleagues in Temples of (in)Justice have dishonourably failed to say, as they chose to enable oppression of the persecuted. Her conscience has refused to die while she lives. It might be only one instance, but she deserves flowers and respect. Keep that way Sheilla Gloria Atim, regardless. May history count you among those that stood up in the storm. Perhaps more consciences could be gradually woken back to life. Perhaps they’ll be challenged by her courage to say those few words.
🚨UPDATE: This is Atim Sheilla Gloria the judicial presiding officer who remanded mama Miria Matembe an old woman of 73years who’s facing concocted charges
I don’t know if these so called chief magistrates/judges are appointed on merit or favoritism
Now this Atim Sheilla Gloria who seems to be between 30’s to 40’s remanding a mother to the nation with a renowned address
Sheilla Atim Gloria will you be happy assuming your mother in her 70’s experience such a tragedy
When does humanity prevail in legal and justice circles?