Ugandan president warns against 'insulting' armed forces

By Hamza Kyeyune

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) - Uganda's president on Friday warned people against "insulting" the country's security forces, saying that doing so would be a way of "provoking" them.

"If you insult me, we fight. But according to other cultures, provoking and insulting is free speech. I should warn you against attacking the army," Yoweri Museveni said, speaking at the official opening of the new legal year 2022 at the High Court headquarters in the capital Kampala.

The president warned that insulting people in the name of free speech should not be tolerated.

His comments come against the backdrop of the detention and torture of award-winning novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija for allegedly abusing the president's son, Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the commander of the land forces.

The writer was recently charged with making offensive comments on social media regarding the Ugandan president's son and is still battling a court case on the incident.

A video in which Rukirabashaija shows his bruised ribs and fractured ankle bone -- injuries he said he sustained while in detention -- recently went viral.

"Reprehensible, despicable and repugnant! Only stonehearted people can unleash this kind of barbaric torture on a fellow human being. Well survived comrade," Kampala mayor Erias Likwago tweeted.

Members of the opposition in the Ugandan parliament, including a few from the ruling party, walked out of the session on Thursday, paralyzing the sitting in protest of the alleged injustices that include killings, torture, and illegal arrest across the East African country.