The 2021 Pen Pinter Prize International writer of Courage award winner -Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has been detained again despite court order for release.

On Tuesday the 25th of January, 2022; a release of the novelist was expected after a court order for bail was granted. Kakwenza was arrested on the 28th of December 2021 on charges of offending president Yoweri Kaguta Museveni and son on twitter.

Lawyer Eron Kiiza said instead of being released, Kakwenza was kidnapped by unknown men in civilian clothing to an unknown location, a thing which worries Eron as Kakwenza’s lawyer.

After appearing before magistrate Singiza Douglas on Tuesday, a cash bail of 500,000shs was set by court for the novelist to be released, the magistrate also ordered that Kakwenza surrender his passport. The writer was further ordered to not speak to any reporters before the conclusion of his trial ,a thing that would lead to the flop of his bail.

Kakwenza right: after he had been released, minutes before he was rashly picked by un known car and driven off.

It is not the first time writing has brought Kakwenza trouble, following his first allegedly political book “the Greedy Barbarian” – one regarded as satirically discussing Museveni and his leadership of Uganda, Kakwenza was arrested while at his home in Iganga.  After his first release over the “Greedy Barbarian” content, Kakwenza was at writing again discussing his torture at the hands of the law enforcers in a book titled, “The Banana Republic -Where Writing is treasonous”.

Pen International said on social media; “peaceful expression of uncomfortable views is not crime”, as the organization freely shares its worries toward the writer’s security.

COURTESY PHOTO