Jail is excessive

Oct 25, 2005

A man from Nakaseke has been sentenced to nine months in jail for sectarianism after shouting “you gave our district to balaalo (herdsmen)” at a presidential rally on October 15.

A man from Nakaseke has been sentenced to nine months in jail for sectarianism after shouting “you gave our district to balaalo (herdsmen)” at a presidential rally on October 15.

David Ntege admitted the offence but said he got over-excited when he saw the President. He prayed for leniency saying that he had eight children to support.

Obviously it was disrespectful and offensive for Ntege to heckle the President but did it merit nine months in jail?

The police should have just bundled Ntege out of the rally and told him to go home and cool off.

To incarcerate him for this one remark makes it appear as though Uganda is turning into a police state where citizens are not allowed to speak their minds.

President Museveni has always been a supporter of free speech.

It’s very doubtful that he would have condoned Ntege’s imprisonment, even though his heckling was rude and sectarian.

The state should revisit the sentence imposed on Ntege.

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