Women leaders under the FDC Katonga faction have criticized women’s rights organizations for their silence following the rejection of renowned Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua’s request to represent Dr. Kizza Besigye and Obedi Lutale in court.
During a press conference at the FDC Katonga offices, the women, led by Salaam Musumba and Ingrid Turinawe, voiced their frustration, alleging that Karua was denied the opportunity to lead the case due to gender discrimination.
The event coincided with the FDC’s 20th-anniversary celebrations, which have been clouded by the ongoing imprisonment of Besigye and other political detainees.
Carrying placards with messages of protest and symbolically tying their hands to show solidarity with the detainees, the women condemned prominent women’s rights organisations, including FIDA and the Equal Opportunities Commission, for what they called a failure to address the "gendered injustice" against Karua.
Musumba also criticized religious leaders for their silence on political injustices, particularly the prolonged detention of Besigye and others. She called on human rights activists to use the Christmas season to pray for political detainees and honor those who have lost their lives to political violence.
“We need to stand together and fight for justice. Let this Christmas remind us of the plight of those in detention and the sacrifices they have made for democracy,” Musumba urged.
The press conference concluded with a brief standoff between the women and police stationed outside the FDC headquarters.
The situation was eventually defused, and the group returned inside without incident.
Meanwhile, Besigye and Lutale remain in remand at Luzira Prison as their legal team awaits a decision on whether Martha Karua will be allowed to lead their defense in the military court.