When I freely expressed myself about unity of all the opposition in Uganda, I was insulted, threatened, ridiculed and condemned by members of my political party – the FDC. Rather than debate the issues I raised, they attacked my person, my morals, my sanity and my loyalty to the FDC party. They mocked my lover and shamed my minor children in retaliation to me freely expressing my mind. Some even dragged my sisters into the penalties they were freely dishing out.
Freedom of expression is a human right that is protected in the Constitution of Uganda. I have been imprisoned twice by Museveni’s dictatorship simply because I freely expressed myself through criticising his mis-governance. My arrests, trials and detention highlighted how repressive the military dictatorship is.
But I am now afraid that the members of my very own political party are more repressive than dictator Museveni. They are gagging, censoring and suffocating me much worse than the dictatorship ever did. My own party is abusing me simply because I wrote in favour of uniting with People Power. They are insulting my lover and children simply because I dared to suggest that Bobi Wine might indeed be more popular than Dr Kizza Besigye.
Can someone assure me that FDC does not violate the human rights of those whose opinions divert from their official line? Can anyone confirm that FDC members know that freedom of expression is a constitutional right? Am I supposed to only sing the praises of Dr Kizza Besigye when I am in FDC? How do I know that the FDC will not be more repressive, authoritarian and dictatorial than Museveni’s NRM? Stop gagging me!
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