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Ugandan novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija’s twitter account has been suspended. The account was suspended for violation of Twitter rules and policy.
Kakwenza fled into exile saying he was being persecuted by high ranking military officers in the country. Since he left the country, the lawyer has been criticizing President Yoweri Museveni and the first son Lt Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba leadership in the country.
He accuses the first son of being behind his kidnap and subsequent torture at unknown military facility.
According to sources, the human rights lawyer fled through Rwanda to an unrevealed country in Europe. Kakwenza joins former Makerere University Researcher Dr. Stella Nyanza who fled the country in January this year. Nyanzi said that she was being persecuted. She is currently in Germany with her children.
Kakwenza was arrested in December last year after an exchange with the first son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s supporters on Twitter. He was later this year charged with offensive communication, contrary to Section 25 of the computer misuse act 2011.
Through his lawyers led by Eron Kiiza, Kakwenza applied for bail. Appearing before Buganda Road Magistrate Dr. Douglas Singiza, Kawenza was granted Shs 500,000 cash bail. His Sureties were however ordered to pay Shs 10 million noncash. Court barred him from discussing matters in the media. He has also been asked to deposit his passport for a period of 6 months.
Last month Kakwenza petitioned court seeking permission and his passport to go for further medication in Europe. The author of Banana Republic contended that he was tortured during and after his arrest. Dr. Douglas Singinza however rejected Kakwenza’s plea on grounds that he can be treated within the country.
Prosecution averred 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