More fallout from the recent riots in Kampala, Uganda. The Kenyan writers association Kwani has released an open letter on behalf of Kalundi Serumaga who was imprisoned during the Kampala riots last week:

The unlawful arrest of Ugandan writer, broadcaster and filmmaker, Mr. Kalundi Serumaga by irregular security operatives on Friday September 11, 2009 is a sad development in the fast deteriorating human rights situation in Uganda.

The arrest, which amounted to forcible abduction, and the physical abuse to which he was subjected, which amounts to torture, his detention in unknown locations in Kampala city over the night of Friday and Saturday morning is clearly in breach of the Ugandan Constitution and therefore makes the charges brought against him a charade.

The mistreatment of Kalundi only highlights the predicament of hundreds of people in Uganda who have since last week been thrown into detention:

It is an abuse of the freedom of expression, association and a clear violation of Human Rights.

We as writers in East Africa urge governments in the region as well as the international community to put pressure on the Ugandan government to ensure that Mr. Serumaga as well as others held in detention are set free and the trumped up charges against them dropped.

East African Writers Unite to Free Journalist

September 16, 2009 |

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About the author: Jonathan Gosier is a software developer, writer and social entrepreneur. He currently lives in Kampala, Uganda where he incubates and invests in East African entrepreneurs as the CEO of Appfrica Labs. He's also a TED Fellow.