2018 was the year that the Womens’ March of Uganda also known as “#WomensMarchUg” happened.

If I have my dates right, it was the Saturday morning of 30th of June….a little bit hot.

 

30 June 2018 – “Stop the killing. Stop the raping.” was the cry as many marched for this year’s One in a Million Women’s March in Uganda. The 2018 Women’s March UG, was a peaceful protest organized by the Women’s Protest Working Group (WPWG), that happened on 30th June 2018. Women from across the city flooded the streets of Kampala on Saturday from Centenary Park to The Uganda Railway grounds, right in the middle of the city, in protest of all the kidnappings and murders of women in Uganda.

 

I was somewhere in town, enjoying the WiFi and following up closely on events as they unfolded at what would be the route for the march.

What a moment that was…so so symbolic!

 

Photo credit: Kampala Dispatch

 

In the previous days, I had followed up on part of the organizing that was done, to make this march happen successfully.

At one point, I honestly thought it would not even happen as the Police Force here had prematurely “banned” it from happening saying that it was not “necessary”!

(I wonder if that would have been said about the murder or murders of prominent men)!

 

Photo credit: African Feminism (AF)

 

This protest had been brewing for a while.

The endless kidnaps and murders of more than 42 women across Kampala and Wakiso regions of Uganda were the last straw!

Over 17 of these women, according to eyewitness accounts from the crime scenes and autopsy reports had been sexually assaulted and stuffed with sticks in their vaginas!

And they kept on happening everyday….like these women were sport hunted down by hunters!

 

Photo credit: Public Radio International

 

I always think of these women that were murdered.

Did they have people that love them and kept on wondering what happened to them?

What were their dreams in life?

What were their aspirations in life?

 

Photo credit: Daily Monitor

 

Reading about them on the news sites,

Watching their friends and loved ones speak about them on television

Gave me a lot of restlessness for all those days; asking myself if I will be next.

(None of us is safe; always remember that!)

 

Photo credit: MK Newslink

 

That was the moment I decided to join the peaceful march from anywhere and any way that I could.

Being a person that spends a lot of their time on Twitter, I decided to follow the hashtag on Twitter and slowly made my way there, with so many other people all over the world that chose to join the march and commiserate with those that lost their loved ones.

 

30 June 2018 – Stella Nyanzi playing drum in Centenary park, at the departure spot of the march. “Stop the killing. Stop the raping.” was the cry as many marched for this year’s One in a Million Women’s March in Uganda. The 2018 Women’s March UG, was a peaceful protest organized by the Women’s Protest Working Group (WPWG), that happened on 30th June 2018. Women from across the city flooded the streets of Kampala on Saturday from Centenary Park to The Uganda Railway grounds, right in the middle of the city, in protest of all the kidnappings and murders of women in Uganda.

 

From there, I listened in to so many podcasts like this particular one on Wulira.

Read a number of social media posts from so many people that were confirming their participation, on ground, at the march.

Followed up on the response from the government, which was largely dismissive and patriarchal!

And prepared my mind fully, for the D-day and what was to come after that!

 

Photo credit: Freedom and Roam Uganda

 

I believe these pictures and many more that are not shown here, will speak for themselves!

A very special shout out goes to you, who made this march happen!

 

Photo credit: SoftPower News 

 

Photo credit: Twitter

 

Photo credit: TRT World

 

30 June 2018 – “Stop the killing. Stop the raping.” was the cry as many marched for this year’s One in a Million Women’s March in Uganda. The 2018 Women’s March UG, was a peaceful protest organized by the Women’s Protest Working Group (WPWG), that happened on 30th June 2018. Women from across the city flooded the streets of Kampala on Saturday from Centenary Park to The Uganda Railway grounds, right in the middle of the city, in protest of all the kidnappings and murders of women in Uganda.

 

30 June 2018 – “Stop the killing. Stop the raping.” was the cry as many marched for this year’s One in a Million Women’s March in Uganda. The 2018 Women’s March UG, was a peaceful protest organized by the Women’s Protest Working Group (WPWG), that happened on 30th June 2018. Women from across the city flooded the streets of Kampala on Saturday from Centenary Park to The Uganda Railway grounds, right in the middle of the city, in protest of all the kidnappings and murders of women in Uganda.

 

30 June 2018 – “Stop the killing. Stop the raping.” was the cry as many marched for this year’s One in a Million Women’s March in Uganda. The 2018 Women’s March UG, was a peaceful protest organized by the Women’s Protest Working Group (WPWG), that happened on 30th June 2018. Women from across the city flooded the streets of Kampala on Saturday from Centenary Park to The Uganda Railway grounds, right in the middle of the city, in protest of all the kidnappings and murders of women in Uganda.

 

26 may 2018 – Preparation of the press conference to announce the march of Women in Kampala, to protest the murders.

 

26 may 2018 – Preparation of the press conference to announce the march of Women in Kampala, to protest the murders.

 

30 June 2018 – The march passes in front of Kampala train station. “Stop the killing. Stop the raping.” was the cry as many marched for this year’s One in a Million Women’s March in Uganda. The 2018 Women’s March UG, was a peaceful protest organized by the Women’s Protest Working Group (WPWG), that happened on 30th June 2018. Women from across the city flooded the streets of Kampala on Saturday from Centenary Park to The Uganda Railway grounds, right in the middle of the city, in protest of all the kidnappings and murders of women in Uganda.