Exiled lawyer and activist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has questioned how the children of opposition figures and government officials will remember the country’s history of political persecution, amid the continued detention of opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye.
Kakwenza said the impact of political repression extends beyond those directly targeted, arguing that families of detained, tortured, killed or exiled Ugandans are left with memories that can endure for generations.
He specifically questioned how Besigye’s children and grandchildren would view President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, whom he accused of presiding over a system that has subjected opposition figures and critics to persecution.
“What do Besigye's children think of Museveni and Muhoozi?” Kakwenza asked, arguing that political power and government positions eventually end, while the memories of actions committed under those systems can remain.
Kakwenza also cited the families of other opposition figures, including Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, former Kawempe South MP Olivia Lutaaya and activist Sam Mugumya, alongside his own children.
He questioned how children of victims would eventually view judges, magistrates, prosecutors, police officers and soldiers whom he accused of facilitating abuses against their parents.
The activist said Uganda must confront the long-term consequences of political violence, warning that families affected by alleged abductions, torture, imprisonment and forced exile may pass those experiences to future generations.
Kakwenza further criticised what he described as impunity among officials accused of human rights abuses, saying positions of power do not protect individuals from eventual scrutiny over their actions.
“Death does not necessarily bury what people did while they were alive,” he said, arguing that the children of accused officials could inherit difficult questions about their parents’ conduct alongside property and family names.
His remarks come against the backdrop of continued concern over Besigye’s detention and the treatment of opposition figures and government critics in Uganda.
Kakwenza also warned against allowing political grievances to become ethnic or communal conflicts. He said responsibility for alleged abuses should remain with individuals who order, facilitate or participate in unlawful actions rather than being attributed collectively to entire communities.
According to Kakwenza, Uganda risks creating another injustice if anger over political persecution is directed at ethnic groups instead of specific perpetrators.
He challenged Ugandans to consider what kind of country they want to leave future generations, arguing that children inherit not only property and surnames but also stories, photographs and memories of political violence.
Kakwenza ultimately framed the issue as a question of justice and national reconciliation, asking whether Uganda would provide future generations with institutions capable of addressing painful memories or leave them with unresolved grievances.
His comments add to growing debate over the political and legal treatment of opposition leaders, particularly as Besigye’s prolonged detention continues to attract scrutiny from rights activists and opposition supporters.