11 women MPs protesting against harassment arrested in Uganda

By Godfrey Olukya

KAMPALA, Uganda (AA) – Eleven female members of parliament were arrested on Thursday in the Ugandan capital Kampala while protesting against the continued harassment of parliamentarians.

Before being arrested, the opposition women members carried placards denouncing harassment by police and calling for those who do so to be arrested.

According to Kampala Metropolitan deputy police spokesman, Luke Owoyesigyire, the MPs were marching from parliament to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Headquarters in Port Bell to deliver a petition to the minister of internal affairs complaining about the continued harassment.

He said when police tried to stop them, the women MPs sat in the middle of the road and refused to vacate despite pleas by the police.

They were arrested and taken to Kampala central police station, he added.

“We are carrying out investigations. They broke the law by blocking the road and holding an unlawful assembly,” Owoyesigyire said, adding that a female police officer was injured while arresting the women and is admitted to the hospital for treatment.

One of the arrested female members of parliament, Betty Naluyima, told the media before starting the protest that they were fighting for women's rights.