I’ve tried to look for an achievement in torturing satirical writer Kakwenza Rukirabashaija but in vain. The only achievement seems to be the temporary gratification of the tormentors’ anger — which is insignificant in the grand scale of things.
In Kakwenza’s case, the cardinal purpose of torture, I surmise, was to send a wave of fear into dissenters, insulters and maybe to shut the mouth of the victim. Has the wave of fear been effectively sent? Well, if social media posts are to go by, boldness has shot through the roof. Insulters have rapidly and greatly multiplied.
Modest critics that were previously indifferent to the tormentors’ actions have become more stinging( or more radical) and many have emerged. Recent media articles and cartoons reflect the prevailing uneasiness — uneasiness which borders on radical anger.
For those that have chosen total silence, it’s more probable that their silence isn’t approval the torture. If you pick their private thoughts, you would be able to see that they aren’t happy. In a semi-democracy like Uganda where we pretend to vote, moderation is important.
If those holding this country’s reins of power care about Uganda’s image or, if a good image in the eyes of the international community and other potential tourists, investors and allies is important, more damage has been created because Kakwenza’s abduction and subsequent torture arrested attention from local and international media houses, social media, embassies and ambassadors (locally and beyond), prominent politicians and other civil society organisations.
Any shrewd investor will accurately gauge the level of political polarisation in a country where a mere writer gets treated the way Kakwenza was.
Kakwenza has promised to write another book narrating his ordeal at the hands of his tormentors. The social media posts announcing his intention to write another book have been greeted with encouragement.
If he manages to put together his undoubtedly horrifying experience, his book might become one of the most sought after non-academic books in Uganda. And perhaps the book will also unmask other jaw dropping facts on how many other unknown people that are in torture chambers etc.
If legacy is important to the tormentors, theirs will always be in the gutter because Kakwenza’s book will forever mirror what prevailed during these times. It will be a bold statement on how his tormentors treated those who mildly disagreed with them. Just like former minister Henry Kyemba’s The State of Blood published in 1977 continues to define the Idi Amin presidency.
To make the book more accurate, Kakwenza might (or should) even choose to add his photos showing the torture marks. Because he has made his intention of writing another book public, perhaps his tormentors are now working out a formula to stop him writing or publishing or distributing it. I hope they fail or find no interest in stopping him.
By the time Kakwenza was kidnapped, his Twitter account had less than 2,000 followers. Now, it has more than 13,000 followers and it’s continuing to grow at a terrific rate. I suppose his Facebook followership has and continues to exponentially increase too.
Kakwenza isn’t willing to keep quiet as he has demonstrated on his social media accounts. That means his hostile and critical messages against his tormentors will now to be disseminated to a bigger audience.
Kakwenza might have sustained life long injuries or may even get killed soon but the loss his tormentors have suffered and still suffering is certainly greater than killing or deforming Kakwenza.
