Critical author, Kakwenza, writes novel on his torture ordeal

Critical political satirist cum law student, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, has released another book, Banana Republic, in which he details  his torture occasioned to him at the hands of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence.

Kakwenza went missing on April 13 after being arrested by security operatives but was later produced in court and charged with doing an act likely to spread the infection of a disease contrary to section 171 of the Penal Code Act.

Following his release, he said he had been arrested by operatives from CMI who reportedly tortured him as they asked him about the critical book “The Greedy Barbarian” which he authored.

However, in Banana Republic, Kakwenza details what he went through while in detention for more than two weeks.

“This is a narration of the excruciating torture that I went through in a Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) dungeon as a result of my published novel, The Greedy Barbarian,” Kakwenza says of his latest novel.

He adds, “Because no torture victim has gathered the wherewithal to document their ordeal. I'm the first Ugandan author to be arrested for a political fiction novel and I'm the first Ugandan author to narrate my story without waiting for my tormentors to go.”