President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has hailed  Ugandans for not participating in the demonstrations that were planned for Tuesday, July 23, 2024.

The president said this in a statement issued on July 25, 2024, on his social media X account.

“Fellow Ugandans, especially the Bazzukulu. Greetings. I want to congratulate the Armed Forces and the Security Forces, plus the Wanainchi, for not participating in the bad demonstration that was planned for Tuesday, “the president stated.

According to the president, the demonstration had two bad elements: those funding the protests from foreign sources and those who were planning to carry out outrageous activities.

“Element one was funding from foreign sources that have always meddled in the internal affairs of Africa for the last 600 years─ slave trade, colonialism, neo-colonialism, genocide, economic exploitation, etc., and all those involved should know that Uganda is not a neo-colony where those shallow schemes can be deployed,” Museveni said.

“The second element was that some of the authors and participants of the demonstrations were planning very bad things against the people of Uganda. Those very bad things will come out in court when those arrested are being tried. It is possible that some of the participants did not know of the planned foreign funding and the planned bad things,” he added.

Museveni revealed that if it were a patriotic, anti-corruption, peaceful demonstration coordinated with the police, he would have been the first to join.

He emphasized that the fight against corruption is ongoing, and they just need evidence for action to be taken.

The March to Parliament protests started on social media, especially on X, and on July 23, 2024, the youths took the protests to the streets of Uganda. However, security arrested and remanded the protesters to Luzira Prison until July 30, 2024.