Renowned government critic and satirical novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija on Monday put out a tweet requesting people to help him raise 40 million shillings to save his sureties from going to jail.
In his tweet Kakwenza appealed to 5000 people to contribute 8000 shillings each via his MTN number that he publicly provided registered in his name.
Shockingly, Kakwenza was able to collect the amount within seven hours. Through the same platform, he thanked the users for their generous support.
“What is the message if a government critic can easily get 40 million shillings in just hours and pay off the court? What does that mean? Does it mean that people are tired or that there’s solidarity against the government? Who paid this money? Queried Olive Najjuma, The Fatboy Show presenter on RX Radio.
Her show co-host James Onen, widely known as Fatboy, is similarly in awe of how Kakwenza was able to raise 40 million shillings in hours. Fatboy appealed to the fundraisers to direct the same devotion to other demanding issues such as those directed to improving the health sector through donating equipment to government hospitals.
“By the way, apart from criticizing the government on things it has failed to deliver like health care and the road system, I wonder what the opposition has collectively done to help in some of those sectors. You may not construct a road because you're not in government but I believe you can donate beds to a government hospital, you can offer to renovate a school back in your constituency, I want to see something that the opposition has done collectively,” said Olive.
On April 11, 2022 Kakwenza’s sureties including National Unity Platform Secretary- General Lewis Rubangoya, lawyer Julius Galisonga, Bob Kiija an activist and Annah Ashaba, a teacher at Kololo Secondary School were issued an arrest warrant for if they had failed to present 10 million shillings each after Kakwenza failed to appear for the proceedings for a second time.
Kakwenza Rukirabasaija was granted bail on January 25, 2022 and later fled the country through Rwanda to Malawi, where he took a plane to Germany. Although the Buganda Road Magistrates Court rejected his passport appeal, Kakwenza somehow managed to travel without one and settled in Germany under the Writers- in Exile-program. This program provides support to writers and havens to those persecuted in their native countries.
The Fatboy show is hosted by James Onen aka Fatboy, Olive and Sarah every weekday from 6am to 10am on RX Radio.
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