THE MARCH TO PARLIAMENT: A flirtation with fire.

By S P (THE FRONTIERS)

In a scene reminiscent of a heavily armored ballet, Kampala's streets are once again graced by an imposing parade of security personnel. This grand spectacle is in anticipation of the latest act in Uganda's ongoing drama: the anti-corruption march to Parliament, scheduled for Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

The President of Uganda has already issued a stark warning to the intrepid organizers of this march, likening their endeavor to a dangerous flirtation with fire. And as history has shown, playing with fire in Uganda tends to end with the kind of overzealous firefighting that only its security forces can muster.

Ugandan security forces have honed their crowd control tactics to an art form. Their repertoire includes the swift arrests of the unsuspecting, the liberal use of teargas that transforms the air into an acrid fog, and the ever-reliable "kiboko squad" – a group known for its enthusiastic application of the cane. These performances often culminate in the early morning raids that have become a staple of Uganda's political theatre. 

The organizers of this  march have risen up to challenge the status quo of the corrupt chambers of the legislature, but might likely find themselves subjected to an array of security deterrents. House arrests will be as common as morning coffee, and the streets will echo with the sound of enforced silence for a while. Business might return to normal. And the corrupt will say their Thanksgiving prayers and move on. 

That aside, a palpable tension hangs over the city like a storm cloud ready to burst. The air is thick with anticipation and fear, as if the city itself is holding its breath. Citizens have taken to social media,  most pondering on who will be the first to be arrested, who will be the first to vanish into the maelstrom of state control. The stage is set for a high-stakes drama where every step, every word, could trigger the inevitable clash.

But the real question, the cliffhanger that is keeping the nation on the edge of their seats, is whether the objectives of this march – a clarion call against corruption – will be realized. Will the chorus of voices demanding transparency and accountability be heard, or will it be drowned out by the cacophony of state-sponsored suppression?

Only time will tell whether this latest act in the ongoing saga of Uganda's political landscape will end in triumph or tragedy. Until then, the streets of Kampala remain the stage for a grand, hopefully not tragic, performance where every citizen is an unwitting actor in the Theatre of the Absurd, caught in a tense waiting game with an unpredictable outcome.

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