• Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Donate
  • Login
Watchdog Uganda
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News
No Result
View All Result
Watchdog Uganda
No Result
View All Result

OP-ED: Naked Protestors Deserve Our Respect

Wilfred Arinda Nsheeka by Wilfred Arinda Nsheeka
9 months ago
in Conversations with, Op-Ed
2 0
Wilfred Arinda Nshekantebirwe

Wilfred Arinda Nshekantebirwe

ShareTweetSendShare

A week ago, three Ugandan protestors—Norah Kobusingye, Praise Aloikin Opoloje, and Kemitoma Kyenzibo—took to the streets, naked, to protest corruption. As expected, they were arrested, but the real issue is not their arrest; it’s what they were protesting against—rampant corruption. Some critics have focused more on the fact that they were naked, accusing them of indecency or attention-seeking behavior. But these accusations miss the point entirely.

Critics say they exposed their bodies inappropriately, pointing out that such acts could distract from the cause. Some argue it’s a disrespect to the culture or an attention-grabbing stunt. But to reduce their protest to mere nudity is to ignore the message they are trying to send: the anger, frustration, and desperation young Ugandans feel in the face of unbridled corruption. These three individuals weren’t just protesting for themselves—they were out there for all Ugandans, especially the rural women who suffer the most from poor services. Their protest spoke for the women who have to walk long distances to get to a clinic because of the lack of health centers, the women whose children attend schools with no teachers, and the women whose communities are isolated due to bad roads.

These youthful protestors and many others chose to demonstrate a month after other anti-corruption protests in Kampala, which unfortunately didn’t lead to any significant change. The thieves still walk free, perhaps emboldened by the fact that public outcry has little effect on their activities. If protests clothed in anger didn’t work, then this naked protest was a bolder step, one meant to say: “We’ve tried everything; now we lay ourselves bare, quite literally, to show our pain.”

The act of going naked in public, especially for a protest, is not easy. In fact, it’s one of the most difficult things anyone can do. Even in private spaces, many people feel vulnerable being naked. Now, imagine doing that in the middle of Kampala, a city with millions of people, for a cause as serious as fighting corruption. The courage it takes to shed not just clothes but the layers of fear, judgment, and cultural expectations, is immense. These protestors weren’t just exposing their bodies—they were exposing the fact that Uganda’s leadership has failed them and countless others. They should not be mocked; they should be respected for their bravery.

The previous protests didn’t spark any change, so these nude protests represent a new level of desperation. They speak to the deep frustration that young people feel. This is not just an attention-grabbing stunt; it is a sign of just how bad things have gotten. The protestors did not go naked because they wanted fame. They did it because the systems that should protect and serve them have stripped away their dignity in other ways, every single day. These women wanted to highlight the lack of basic services that rural Ugandans suffer from—the absence of clean water, decent health facilities, reliable electricity, and infrastructure that connects them to the rest of the country.

I don’t know what will happen to these protestors now. They may face more arrests, longer detentions, or even worse treatment. But their resolve should not be broken. Their fight is a fight many of us share. While some in authority may want to dismiss them, saying that foreigners have promised them some kind of reward or sponsorship, that narrative is weak. Instead of talking about foreign influence, the government should take corruption seriously and handle it internally. Imagine if 1,000 women decided to protest naked. This is possible. If foreign governments are indeed capable of sponsoring a revolution, as some claim, then organizing 1,000 women to storm the streets would be easy.

The issue at hand is that corruption has reached dangerous levels, and it is tearing at the social fabric of Uganda. There comes a time when people get tired. They get tired of promises that aren’t fulfilled, tired of seeing corrupt officials arrested only to be released quietly, tired of hearing about grand anti-corruption measures that never take off. The time will come when citizens will rise, in larger numbers, and demand accountability. Our leaders should wake up and act before things get even worse.

The writer is the LC 5 Male Youth Councillor for Rubanda District

wilfredarinda@gmail.com


Do you have a story in your community or an opinion to share with us: Email us at editorial@watchdoguganda.com
ShareTweetSendShare

Related Posts

Dr. Ayub Mukisa (Ph.D.)
Conversations with

Dr. Ayub Mukisa: Karamoja NGOs: With Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Ireland intervention, can the region have hope?

17th June 2025 at 09:11
Politics

“Practice Faith In Service Delivery”, Minister Babalanda Tells Christians

15th June 2025 at 22:52
Richard Musaazi
Conversations with

RICHARD MUSAAZI: Terrorism: We cannot wage a “war on terrorism”, yet war itself is terrorism

13th June 2025 at 10:59
Next Post

Turning the Tide: Addressing Kampala’s Waste Crisis Amidst Climate Challenges

  • Prostitution in Uganda- Courtesy Photo

    10 dangerous hotspots known for prostitutes in Kampala

    1069 shares
    Share 428 Tweet 267
  • Uganda’s Billionaires 2025: Once Again Sudhir Ruparelia Leads a Resilient Pack

    29 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 7
  • Makerere University Don on the spot over fraudulent acquisition of land

    29 shares
    Share 12 Tweet 7
  • Pastor Bugingo Seeks Reconciliation with Teddy and Children, Prays for Makula’s Twins

    15 shares
    Share 6 Tweet 4
  • ‘Age is just a number’ comes true as NRM’s Hajji Kigongo formalizes marital status with pretty girl

    118 shares
    Share 47 Tweet 30
Facebook Twitter

Contact Information

Watchdog Uganda is a portal for solution journalism, trending news plus cutting edge commentaries in the fields of politics, security, business, tourism, entertainment, technology, agriculture, climate change, environment, public health et al. We also give preference to Ugandan community news and topical discussions. The portal also publishes community news and topical discussions.

Email: editorial@watchdoguganda.com
To Advertise:Click here

Latest News

Speke Resort Munyonyo Hosts 15th IFATSEA Africa Meeting, Boosting Aviation Safety

17th June 2025 at 23:16
Dr. Ayub Mukisa (Ph.D.)

Dr. Ayub Mukisa: Karamoja NGOs: With Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Ireland intervention, can the region have hope?

17th June 2025 at 09:11

Check out

  • Trending
  • Comments
  • Latest
Minister Muruli Mukasa

LIST: New salary structure for civil servants starting July 2020 out; scientists, lecturers get juicy pay rise

24th May 2020 at 10:45
Pregnant woman

Shock as 17-year old boy impregnates his two sisters during Covid-19 lockdown 

17th June 2020 at 08:17
Sudhir Ruparelia is set to speak at business forum in United Kingdom

Billionaire Sudhir’s wisdom on how to invest in real estate

0

How a boy’s destiny turned from cotton grower to communications guru

0

Speke Resort Munyonyo Hosts 15th IFATSEA Africa Meeting, Boosting Aviation Safety

17th June 2025 at 23:16
Dr. Ayub Mukisa (Ph.D.)

Dr. Ayub Mukisa: Karamoja NGOs: With Denmark, The Netherlands, Sweden, and Ireland intervention, can the region have hope?

17th June 2025 at 09:11

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
    • National
    • Politics
    • World News
    • Media Outreach Newswire
    • Africa News
    • Tourism
    • Community News
    • Luganda
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Motorsport
  • Op-Ed
    • #Out2Lunch
    • Conversations with
    • Politics
    • Relationships
  • Business
    • Agriculture
    • CEOs & Entrepreneurs,
    • Companies
    • Finance
    • Products
    • RealEstate
    • Technology
  • Entertainment
    • Lifestyle
  • People
    • Showbiz
      • Salon Mag
  • Special Report
    • Education
    • Voices
  • Reviews
    • Products
    • Events
    • Hotels
    • Restaurants
    • Places
  • WD-TV
  • Donate
  • China News

© 2025 Watchdog Uganda