No fewer than eight members of a Ugandan music band have been apprehended by the police for complaining that the president’s speech at the weekend was too long, local media report.
The complaint by one of the band members was seen as an insult to President Yoweri Museveni, who was speaking during the 50th wedding anniversary celebrations of former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi and his wife Jacqueline Mbabazi on Saturday night.
Africa Today News, New York reports that the members of the Crane Performers band were speaking in the local Runyankole language, according to security sources, a privately owned Uganda Radio Network news website reported.
The band members are alleged to have said “Rutabandana Waturusya Rugahamuzindaro“, which loosely translates to “over speaker, we are tired, leave the microphone”, the report added.
Read Also: Controversial Anti-LGBT Law Upheld By Top Ugandan Court
The musicians are reportedly being held at the Kampala Central Police Station.
They have been charged with insulting the president, according to court files seen by the local media.
Neither the band nor the police have commented on the matter.
The Constitutional Court in Uganda has upheld the country’s controversial anti-homosexuality law, which imposes life imprisonment and the death penalty on those involved in certain same-sex acts.
However, the court weakened the legislation as parts of it violated constitutional rights.
Africa Today News, New York reports that sections that criminalize behavior such as allowing gay sex to happen at one’s property, failing to report acts of homosexuality and giving someone a terminal illness through gay sex are to be struck.
“We decline to nullify the Anti-Homosexuality Act 2023 in its entirety, neither will we grant a permanent injunction against its enforcement,” lead judge Richard Buteera said during the ruling on Wednesday.
The petitioners say they will appeal against the ruling.