The Ugandan government is pushing for a thorough mental examination to be conducted on a university lecturer currently standing trial for insulting the President in January 2017 Facebook post.
The prominent University of Makerere lecturer and activist, Stella Nyanzi, was arrested for describing the Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni as a “pair of buttocks” on social media.
According to a State Attorney, the request for mental examination was partly because Dr Nyanzi had a history of psychiatric disorder and had been a patient of a mental facility before. He further averred that her actions had a direct impact on moral decadence in the country.
She appeared in court on Monday to respond to charges of cyber harassment and offensive communication contrary to sections of the Computer Misuse Act of 2011. She pleaded not guilty to both counts.
The particulars of the cyber harassment offence read in part, ‘’… she made a suggestion or proposal referring to His Excellency Yoweri Kaguta Museveni as among others ‘‘a pair of buttocks’‘ which suggestion / proposal is obscene or indecent.’‘
Nyanzi’s Facebook post
Last month, the accused via Facebook, criticised First Lady Janet Museveni, who is education minister, after the government backtracked on a campaign promise to supply free sanitary pads to schoolgirls struggling to afford hygiene products.
“We have a sanctioned file on two counts. One is cyber harassment, the other one is for offensive communication,” a police official confirmed after her arrest.
‘‘Dr Stella knew that she has been investigated by CID (Criminal Investigation Division) headquarters. She kept posting issues, fighting battles on social media which we think has not served our interest or her interest,” he added.
The news of her arrest has sparked a storm on social media through the hashtag #FreeDrStellaNyanzi.
Source: Africanews
