[Photos] Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan journalist and government critic has flee the country after torture.

Ugandan author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who has accused the authorities of torturing him while he was in detention, has fled the country, his lawyer has confirmed to the BBC.

The lawyer did not reveal where the award-winning writer, who had been granted bail by a court, had gone.

Kakwenza has left Uganda for fear of his life, and he will finding his way to a European Country in the next few hours. He could not remain here because his life was directly in jeopardy and it’s unfortunate the Military find it difficult to protect Uganda but some errant officers including high-ranking ones are misusing state resources to maim, injure and oppress Ugandans, his lawyer Eron Kiiza said.

Rukirabashaija had sought permission to leave the country to seek treatment for injuries he says he sustained during his recent month in detention at an unknown location.

But the court refused to give the novelist his passport.

Rukirabashaija was arrested in December and charged with offensive communication for making unflattering remarks about President Yoweri Museveni and his son on Twitter.

In one he called the President’s son – Army General Muhoozi Kainerugaba – “obese”.

His trial is meant to begin on 23 March.

Rukirabashaija is best known for The Greedy Barbarian, a satirical novel which describes high-level corruption in a fictional country, and Banana Republic: Where Writing is Treasonous.

The latter is an account of the torture he was subjected to while in detention two years ago.

Last year, he won the Pen Pinter Prize for an international writer of courage.

Rukirabashaija accused the Magistrate who denied him his passport as been an “enabler of the outlawlessness.”

To the bespectacled pigheaded magistrate at Buganda Road, Dr. Douglas Singiza, since you value my passport more than you do to my life and non-derogable rights, you have ashamed the profession because you chose to proliferate persecution against me. You’re a disgrace! Now, put my passport in the dock and try it. I won’t face you again, dear bumlicker of Museveni and Muhoozi. You are an enabler of the outlawlessness. Pursuant to the human rights Act, you had the discretion to observe my rights and discharge me other than whittling down my plea of torture.

Clearly, these crooks have made me a pariah in the country I call home and I will not capitulate to their offers(appointments and material wealth).

A magistrate whose head or mouth doesn’t spew justice deserves to be called a fool.

According to Kakwenza’s account, Lt. Gen. Muhoozi personally participated in his torture, most of which took place at a torture chamber he believes is in Entebbe. On two occasions, Muhoozi met him and demanded that he stops criticising the regime, or else the worst will happen to him.

After brutalising him in this manner, he said he was offered a job not to show his torture wounds to the world- and for him to stop writing!

Army General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, is the Commander of the Land Forces of the UPDF & son to President Museveni. He denied ever meeting Kakwenza:

I don’t know who this young boy is whom they say was beaten! I never heard of him until the media started talking about him. I’ve never met him or talked to him and I have no desire to do so. I have just been speaking to President @PaulKagame and he says he is not in Rwanda!!

Kakwenza fired back immediately:

This idiot must be drunk. I met him 3 times and he was in charge of my torture. He even bought me clothes after what I had, got shredded and bloodied. Khaki Trouser, shirt, sweater, vest and underwear.

Kakwenza, it is believed went through the land borders in Rwanda. A few minutes ago, he posted a message on his verified Facebook wall: “Welcome to Malawi.”

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

Ugandan Journalist & Govt Critic Flees Country After Torture

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Eyo Nse is a creative writer, blogger and a software engineer.He is a simple individual who loves to see others succeed in life.Mr Wisdytech as he is popularly known - started blogging in the early 2000's.