Dehumanizing opposition women in Uganda: World still silent over women stripped naked by police

                                     Zaina Fatuma during the assualt

 In October 2015, Ugandan Police commander Kale Kayihura reportedly stripped a leading female opposition party leader, Zaina Fatuma, naked publicly while arresting her.

Zaina Fatuma, a member of the Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) National Executive Committee, was stripped and manhandled while being arrested by police at Kanyaryeru in Kiruhura.

The police had blocked the party’s presidential flag-bearer Dr. Kizza Besigye along the Masaka-Mbarara highway from proceeding to Rukungiri where he was expected to hold a rally.

  Zaina Fatuma before she was stripped 

The party members were ambushed by police, roughed up and detained for hours by General Kale Kayihura’s police forces.

Besigye who was moving in a convoy with a number of party officials was later carted off to Kaguta Road Police station in Kiruhura district where he was interrogated. Others including lawmakers Ibrahim Semujju Nganda, Paul Mwiru, Geoffrey Ekanya, Patrick Amuriat and FDC Party Chairman Wasswa Birigwa were also arrested.

Some of those arrested were reportedly released only after the intervention of foreign diplomats who are closely monitoring the rapidly deteriorating political insinuation in Uganda.

Fatuma’s pictures quickly spread like wild fire on social media and sparked anger against the police from both the opposition and human rights defenders.

Ugandans expressed fear over what lies ahead as the country moves closer to the 2016 presidential election.

Ugandan President  

Some days after the incidence, the  Uganda Police gave its own reaction-

"On Saturday 10/10/2025 at about 1130hrs at Kanyalyeru along Masaka-Mbarara road, the FDC convey proceeding to Rukungiri District for campaigns was stopped.

"One Naigaga Fatuma undressed herself, falsely claimed that security undressed her later and insulted the Police. She was arrested and later released with the rest of her colleagues and were instructed to go back to Kampala.

Security has noted that some of these people are hired goons who are ready to undress or do anything to create an impression that they are being harassed by security personnel.

Of recent, several politicians especially the opposition, have adopted nudity of adult women of all ages as a form of political and protest action. In Uganda, the FDC as a party are using it as a statement to give life to their political ambitions over sympathetic voters".

The wolrd and international community is silent on this.  CONTINENTALINQUIRER'S finding reveal that no one has been prosecuted on the issue which is unusual.