Cries of anguish filled the Law Development Centre (LDC) Court on Thursday as the first group of 14 young suspects appeared before the magistrate, facing charges related to violence and robbery during a recent political procession.
The individuals, mostly youth wearing National Resistance Movement (NRM) yellow T-shirts, allegedly assaulted and robbed passersby during President Museveni’s procession to pick his nomination papers at the party headquarters on Kyadondo Road in Kampala.
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Following their arrest over the weekend, the suspects were transferred from police detention in Wandegeya and CPS to court, where they maintained their innocence and claimed they had been hired and used by NRM mobilisers—promised as little as Shs10,000 to participate in the rally. Some voiced feelings of betrayal, stating they had been recruited from their homes and abandoned after the incident went public.
The court, presided over by Grade One Magistrate Dorren Ainembabazi, read out charges including robbery, theft, and loitering with intent to commit a felony. The accused, whose ages range mostly from late teens to early thirties, were remanded until July 16 as none had sureties ready for bail.
According to prosecution, several suspects participated in separate incidents involving the theft of mobile phones and cash, coupled with violent assaults on victims across different locations in Kampala during the rally.
The incident has sparked outrage among relatives and local community members, who accused political mobilizers of exploiting unemployed youth for political gain and then abandoning them when trouble arose. Outside court, parents decried the lack of accountability and demanded that NRM leaders take responsibility.
Later that day, another batch of 16 suspects appeared before Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court on similar charges. Among them were students, vendors, and mechanics, some of whom were identified as juveniles and sent to Naguru Remand Home.
The suspects face serious accusations of robbery, including one case involving the theft of multiple phones and Shs600,000, followed by physical assault.
As these cases unfold, the controversy has raised broader concerns about the use of vulnerable youth in political events, the lack of safety protocols, and the legal consequences faced by those allegedly manipulated by powerful interests.
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