Uganda charges opposition lawmakers, supporters over protest

Police arrested 14 Ugandan opposition officials and supporters on Monday as they marched through their capital towards the Kenyan embassy to protest against Nairobi's decision to detain and deport a group of their colleagues, local media said.

The arrests and last month's deportations come as both Kenya and neighbouring Uganda have been rocked by anti-government demonstrations by youth and opposition activists - though the streets of Uganda's capital were otherwise quiet on Monday.

They were arrested for "for participating in unlawful assembly activities," police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said, and later charged in a magistrate's court with being "a public nuisance," according to a charge sheet seen by Reuters.

They all pleaded not guilty. Four of the accused were released on bail while the rest were remanded to prison and will return to court on Aug. 7, according to an FDC official who was in court but did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on behalf of the party.

Opposition critics and human rights campaigners have long accused President Yoweri Museveni's government of using fabricated charges to clamp down on his opponents. Government officials deny this. Museveni, 79, has led the East African country of 46 million since 1986.

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• President Yoweri Museveni
• Uganda protests
• Uganda charges opposition lawmakers
• supporters over protest