As the dust settles on the brutal scenes that unfolded during the Kawempe North by-election, a harrowing truth remains—Ugandans continue to bleed under the weight of state repression.
The scars, both physical and emotional, borne by opposition supporters are not just wounds of the flesh but marks of a nation struggling for its dignity and freedom.
Comrades from the National Unity Platform (NUP) who were viciously assaulted by security forces have come forward to recount their harrowing experiences.
Theirs is a tale of torment, but also of unyielding defiance.
They speak not just of the blows and gun butts that landed on their bodies, nor only of the teargas that choked their lungs, but of the unwavering spirit that refuses to be crushed.
In a statement, the NUP reaffirmed their commitment to the struggle despite the brutality inflicted on them.
“Comrades who were brutalized during the Kawempe North by-election yesterday reiterated their torture experience but their resolve remains intact,” the party declared.
Their words send a clear message that fear will not silence the voice of the oppressed.
The regime’s iron-fisted approach, meant to instill fear, has instead ignited a flame that will not be extinguished.
“The regime believes that by deploying repressive tactics, the people will fear to stand for the truth, but so is never the case,” the NUP stated.
“Just like Fred Hampton said, ‘You can kill a revolutionary, but you can’t kill the revolution.’”
Every lash, every bullet, every tear that falls on the streets of Uganda is a testament to the struggle against an oppressive system that fears its own people.
The agony of mothers whose sons disappear without trace, the cries of fathers beaten for daring to speak, the silent anguish of young men and women who are tortured for believing in change—this suffering shall not be in vain.
Oppression has never defeated a determined people. It has only strengthened their resolve. The rulers of the day believe that by breaking bones and spilling blood, they can break spirits.
But history has shown that in the face of brutality, revolutions are born. The streets of Uganda whisper the names of those who have paid the ultimate price for freedom, their voices now immortal in the struggle that rages on.
“The pain afflicted on Ugandans shall not be in vain. The revolution will persevere through these brutal times, and Ugandans shall finally be free from oppression,” the NUP vowed.
The road ahead is dark, but it is not hopeless. The anguish of today fuels the resolve of tomorrow. The cries of the wounded are not cries of surrender, but a call to action.
And when the day of reckoning comes, when Uganda finally rises from the ashes of tyranny, the pain inflicted on her people will not have been in vain.
For now, the people endure. They carry their scars with honor. They whisper their dreams through the corridors of fear. They stand, battered but unbowed. And they know—with unshakable certainty—that freedom is coming.