Security Hunts For People Power Mobiliser over OTT Demo

By Our Reporter

Kampala, Uganda: Dozens of suspects in the OTT Tax protests that rocketed Uganda’s capital, Kampala in July 2018 and 2019 are still being hunted by security personnel, this newsite has established.

Soon after Parliament passed the (Over the Top) OTT Tax, Kyadondo East Member of Parliament Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine led hundreds of citizens in city riots that saw police in running battles with the rioters who caused mayhem against the newly imposed social and mobile phone tax.

Kyagulanyi was arrested along with scores of others and charged with engaging in unlawful protests against the imposition of the social media and mobile taxes, a statutory duty.

Bobi Wine, together with a group of other activists, held a demonstration in downtown Kampala against the Shs200 excise duty for use of Over the Top (OTT) services (commonly known as social media tax), saying it was unfair since Ugandans were already paying for taxes on airtime.

We have established that scores of other rioters, some who jumped police bond and court bails, and those who snubbed police summons are being ‘hunted’. Sarah Vanesa Gortland, a renowned People Power Mobiliser in Kireka Ward, Kasokoso in Kira Municipality in Wakiso district is among those currently on the run and being hunted by security personnel.

Sarah, hitherto the proprietor of Kings Land Nursery and Day Care Center in Kasokoso has seen gone missing since mid-last year (2019).

Kira Municipality Member of Parliament, Hon Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said he had received reports regarding the missing of Sarah Vanesa but his efforts to trace her in all police stations in Uganda had proved futile.

Kireka Ward local council chairperson said Kings Land Nursery and Day Care Center in Kasokoso had been closed because the government thought the premises were being used for holding illegal people power meetings.

Police in Kampala said Vanesa was arrested but released on police bond.  She was supposed to report at Jinja Road police but she jumped the bond.

Jinja Road Police OC CID said a case had been registered at the station against Sarah Vanesa and others.

“The warrant of arrest was issued after she snubbed police summons, but she (Sarah) has gone into hiding. We shall get her anytime and forward her to court,” said a detective.

According to prosecution, Sarah Vanesa Gortland and others still at large on June 15, 2019 engaged in illegal meeting. “We shall arrest her anytime because she engaged in unlawful protests. She was part of the team that organized the match from Kasokoso to the city center,” said Jinja Road Police commander.

Security sources said Sarah Vanessa was also being suspected to be conniving with sources abroad believed to be part of the group funding the People Power pressure group.

“We also need her to explain reports that she is linked to those funding People Power from the UK,” said a source at the Special Investigations Unit in Kireka.