{UAH} WHY BIGIRIMANA ' ARRESTED' RITA ACIRO -CEO UWONET Today at 4:28 PM

Rita Aciro Lakor - Executive Director - UWONET was at the Ministry of Gender, Lab our of Social Development to attend the UN Joint Programme on Gender Equality (UNJPGE) Steering Committee. Rita serves on this committee as a representative of Civil Society Organizations. The meeting was taking place in the Boardroom on the 8th floor of the Ministry building.

Hardly had Rita sat down to participate in the meeting when the P.S Pius Bigirimana asked the Director of Gender to request Rita to leave the meeting. Rita abided to the request and walked out of the meeting.

As she stepped out of the room she was intercepted by Police officers (dressed in uniform and plain clothing) who asked her why she was leaving the meeting. Rita informed them that the P.S had asked her to leave the meeting. They asked her to write a statement to that effect.

Rita hesitated to follow them and insisted on waiting for her lawyer to be present. She also note that she would wait outside the boardroom for the P.S to give reason as to why she was asked out of the meeting and the need for the statement.

When the Steering Committee meeting ended, the P.S walked out with the Director of Gender and asked Rita to join them in his office. He asked by Rita was part of the meeting. The UN WOMEN representative was called in to explain Rita's presence in the meeting. This was further cleared when Rita presented her invitation to the meeting.

During this time, Rita's phone was taken away from her.

In addition, the P.S made reference to a press conference that was held last year to condemn his appointment to the Ministry of Gender over the theft scandals at OPM. The press conference was called by the women's movement which brings together women's rights organizations and activists. He noted that the press conference has brought him a lot of grief.

In the middle of this, he called and disbanded the Police who were waiting outside his office.

He demanded a written apology to that effect. Rita noted that his concerns would be presented back to the women's movement who would make a decision on that matter.

Rita was released. She is safely back to office and has continued with her work.

Thank you very much for all your support.

Good day,

Sandra Komuhiimbo,
Communications and Information Sharing,
Uganda Women's Network (UWONET),

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H.OGWAPITI
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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that  we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic  and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt

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