“I saw Bitterness Directed To fellow citizens,” Elijah Bwojji On Yesterday’s Events

After the events that unfolded on 18th November, 2020, we were left disgusted by the brutality and high-handedness of the police in Uganda. This must end! We are a peaceful nation. The answer should be order not aggression. We are adding our voice on the #EndPoliceBrutalityinUganda campaign by publishing first and second person experiences of some of the victims of this brutality. If you’ve been brutalized by the police, or know someone who has, feel free to share your experience via satisfashionug@gmail.com.

Elijah Bwojji, a poet, witnessed the pain and hopelessness of Ugandans, ignited by the brutality of our Police, when he found himself in Mutundwe minutes before the whole city went into anarchy. He shares below.

“Well, yesterday where I was, there was no police, there were just people being angry, showing their dissatisfaction towards the government. They were willing to beat fellow citizens and destroy property to show their anger towards the government. This is what I captured during the 30 minutes I was there, before the police came in, and began firing bullets and teargas.”

Bwojji went ahead to pen a poem describing what he had seen further:

“I have been numb for a while

I saw fire lit posters;
Actions of a disempowered people
I saw bitterness turned
To fellow citizens
For there is no one to target
I saw yellow color turn evil
And red the color
With a heart of evil,

I have been numb for a while

I saw a people tired,
I saw a people tired.

I saw bullets fired
Into people with stones
For guns

I saw a people tired
I saw my bitterness

I am numb to cries of a people.”

(The photos were taken by Bwojji, during 18th November 2020 riots, due to the arrest of the presidential candidate Bobi Wine.
Place: Kabowa zone, Mutundwe parish, Rubaga South, Kampala, Uganda)

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