Ugandan Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, who is currently in exile, has launched a campaign aimed at saving his friends who stood surety for him when court granted him bail.
The four include; Ashanah Annah, Job Kiija, lawyer Julius Galisonga Kibande and David Lewis Rubongoya, the Secretary General of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
“My friends who stood surety for me owe Shs 40 million because I fled the country for my life. It’s upon me now to raise the money and pay court in respect of summons. I’m looking for 5,000 people who can send Shs 8,000,” Kakwenza said.
According to Buganda road Court Magistrate Dr. Douglas Singiza the four sureties are required to explain why they have failed to produce Kakwenza before court.
On February 9, Kakwenza fled to exile, through Rwanda and arrived in Germany two weeks later to seek medical treatment after being tortured in jail.
Kakwenza was arrested at Kisaasi after a three days twitter feud with supporters of UPDF Land forces commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba. Kakwenza averred that Muhoozi’s supporters were allegedly bullying him for criticizing President Yoweri Museveni.
Kakwenza is charged with two counts of offensive communication, contrary to Section 25 of the computer misuse act 2011. The Lawyer pleaded not guilty and subsequently remanded to Kitalya prison till 21st January 2022. He was on 25th January 2022 granted Shs 500,000 cash bail as his Sureties were ordered to pay 10mshs noncash. He on February 9, 2022 fled into exile. He is currently in Germany.
Prosecution avers that Kakwenza on 24th December 2021 in the Kampala District, willfully and repeatedly used his Twitter handle to commit cases of offensive communication against the President of Uganda Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and the first son Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, with no purpose of legitimate communication.
Rukirabashaija is the author of the novel The Greedy Barbarian, which takes on themes of high-level corruption in a fictional country. He was arrested on 13 April 2020 in Uganda, and held for seven days, during which time he was interrogated about his fiction and subjected to torture and later released. Rukirabashaija details this treatment in his latest work banana republic: Where Writing is Treasonous.
