Ugandans plan Demo today (Saturday) as President Visits Boston
By our Reporter

BOSTON, Mass. SEPTEMBER 26_ A large section of the Ugandan community in Massachusetts and from other states is planning to hold a peaceful demonstration tomorrow in Downtown Boston, to protest recent killings in Kampala of innocent people by the armed forces during riots which broke up after government stopped the King of Buganda from attending a youth rally  in Kayunga, which is part of the kingdom.

At least 24 people were shot dead by the Police and the military; more than 100 injured and over 600 are detained in various detention centers in the country. The government also preferred terrorism charges on 29 youths alleged to have burnt a police post, south of the capital.

The incident, which took place two weeks ago and reported in both local and international media, sparked wild protests in Kampala, with the armed forces responding to quell the protests with live bullets, leaving several people dead and many others injured.

The planned demonstration will take place as the Ugandan president visits Boston to officiate at an investment and youth forum organized by the NRM chapter in Boston. The forum at the Boston Marriot Hotel on Copley Square is expected to start at 11 am with all day activities, concluding with a black tie dinner and dance scheduled to end at midnight.

 President Museveni is expected to deliver a key-note address.

The President comes to Boston from New York, where he attended the United Nations Conference and the Security Council meeting,  to which Uganda is a member. Ugandans in the Diaspora also organized a similar demonstration in New York on Wednesday.

In a telephone call to AjabuAfrica.com, a Ugandan community organizer from Boston, Francis Nkuusa, said, “We have organized a peaceful demonstration so that our president can listen to us and know that we are very worried about the excessive force used by the armed forces against people who were expressing their grievances in Uganda two weeks ago.”

Nkuusa had just picked up a Ugandan opposition MP, Susan Nakawuki at the Logan Airport. She is also in Boston and will attend the demonstration. Nakawuki represents Busiro East constituency of Wakiso District in Central Uganda.

Speaking to AjabuAfrica.com Hon. Nakawuki called on all Ugandans in Massachusetts and other parts of the United States to come out in large numbers to attend the peaceful demonstrations as a sign of protest against police brutality that led to the loss of innocent lives.

“People are not sure of tomorrow right now in Uganda especially after the recent riots,” said the Member of Parliament.

“Four FM Radio stations have been closed down and major newspapers have been threatened with closure. We need people to come help us express our views”.

The local community organizer, Nkuusa said that the planned demonstration will take place from 10 am with demonstrators marching from the Boston Commons to Copley Square near the Marriot Hotel where the president will be addressing the ruling NRM party members.
 
“We already have a permit from the Boston Police department. So everything is in order. We hope all Africans and their friends from everywhere can join us in this demonstration,” Nkuusa said.

However, the NRM forum organizers also said that their activities will go on as arranged in spite of the planned demonstration.

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