A cross section of Ugandans have condemned the move to use students to demonstrate against the EU Parliament resolution on the proposed East African Crude Oil Pipeline (EACOP).
Some blasted the Uganda Police Force for what they described as double standards for allowing the demonstration to go on yet they always block those held mainly by the Opposition.
Others called the move an abuse of children’s rights, arguing that the learners do not even know what they were demonstrating against.
The protest, which was held by the Uganda National Students Union, involved students from different schools. The students marched to the EU offices where they dropped the petition. A student who spoke to this website said they were mobilized yesterday by the student’s Union. She said “we can’t allow them to take our oil as we work for them like slaves.”
But the public, who took to social media described the move as myopic. This comes after another group held a similar demonstration.
Godwin Toko said: “Same script different Kids… Museveni and his group need to fight their own battles and leave people’s children to study! How desperate can man get to always resort to people’s children for his battles?! This is appalling!”
Lydia Namubiru: The thing about the Uganda government is: if you are ever leaning towards its side in a fight, it will do something to cure you of that kajanja. Why would you instrumentalise school children in an argument with European bankers/backers?
Sean Basu: I doubt it was at these minors’ volition to engage in a protest over an issue they hardly comprehend. We didn’t see them protest over a delayed re-opening of schools when their teachers went on a sit down strike.
Ruth Tucker: Probably they promised to pay tuition for them.. so many unfulfilled promises young people.. infact those you protest for will pick you up tomorrow in a drone.
Samuel Kagaba: Double standards are applied when other people peacefully protest.
Maybe it’s a high time we used this to peacefully protest about EACOP and other pain points.
Salvey Wyclif: A few days ago, police stopped a meeting where the Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was going to meet boda boda rider claiming they would spread Ebola, but today, the same police is guarding students in a protest, so aren’t these children at risk of Ebola
