Award-winning novelist and human rights advocate, Kakwenza Rukirabashaija, has withdrawn his case against the Ugandan government from the East African Court of Justice (EACJ) in which he accused the government of torture and abuse following his arrests in 2020 and 2021, that had stalled for years.
In a brief notice, Kakwenza cited "justice delayed" as the reason for his withdrawal, expressing frustration with the court's inability to make progress.
Kakwenza, known for his novels The Greedy Barbarian and Banana Republic: Where Writing is a Crime, alleges he was brutally tortured by security forces, particularly the Special Forces Command (SFC), led by Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, President Museveni’s son. He describes being detained without a warrant, beaten, and subjected to psychological torment, all in retaliation for his outspoken criticism of the government.
His initial arrest in 2020 followed the release of The Greedy Barbarian, a novel that critiques corruption and bad governance. Subsequent detentions in 2021 escalated after Kakwenza posted critical tweets about President Museveni and his son. Despite being granted bail by Ugandan courts, Kakwenza was held incommunicado, highlighting the state’s disregard for judicial orders.
Kakwenza fled to Germany in 2022, where he now lives in exile. His decision to withdraw from the EACJ follows years of inaction by the court, which he had hoped would hold the Ugandan government accountable under East African Community law. His lawyer, Eron Kiiza, confirmed that the prolonged delays had eroded their faith in the regional judicial system.
Undeterred, Kakwenza is now considering taking his case to the United Nations Human Rights system. "The law and regional mechanisms haven’t helped me achieve justice. I’ll do anything to get justice," he said, hinting at a continued fight against impunity. The UN Human Rights system could offer him an alternative platform to seek redress for the abuses he suffered.
Human rights organizations, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have expressed concern over the Ugandan government’s treatment of dissenters.
"I’m good at revenge, I believe in revenge," he said. For now, his focus is on exploring international legal avenues to secure justice and raise awareness about the plight of critics in Uganda.
