Riots broke out yesterday in Kampala. At least ten people are dead, there’s rioting all over town and as far out as Mukono, and it seems like things are getting a bit worse than yesterday rather than cooling off.

Keep up to the moment with what’s happening by searching the hashtag #kampala or following these folks on Twitter:

@UgandaTalks, @Nnfrank, @UgInsomniac, @SolomonKing, @CamaraAfrica

Also, check Uganda Witness, which looks like it’s rolling out an Ushahidi type platform. BlogSpirit aggregates most blogs about Uganda. The Independent is timing out on my connection right now, but will hopefully be back up and running soon.

Here’s some background and analysis from AFP:

Protesters from the Baganda tribe, which is the majority in central Uganda, have been angered by government efforts to stop their ruler Ronald Muwenda Mutebi visiting Kayunga county, north of Kampala, where violence was feared.

Yoweri said his government would not back down on keeping Mutebi out of Kayunga. “I told him (the ruler) that the meeting in Kayunga will not take place until some conditions that will be communicated to him by the minister of internal affairs are met.”

Medard Ssegona, deputy information minister for the Buganda Kingdom, also refused to back down.
“We are not going to be intimidated by the government into giving up our demands,” he said, while adding that the group was ready for talks with the government.

Ethnic Baganda MPs walked out of parliament in protest over the issue Wednesday.

The traditional king holds a ceremonial position but also wields political influence.

The government shut down a radio station owned by the Baganda kingdom accusing it of engaging in “sectarian acts”. The king of the Baganda is expected to travel to Kayunga on Saturday, heightening fears of more violence.

Daniel Kalinaki, managing editor of the Monitor newspaper, said in an editorial the riots are the most serious test so far for Museveni, am ethnic Munyankole, as they have destroyed his relationship with the Baganda people.

“Among the debris in the blood-splattered streets lies something else: the broken shards of what was left of President Museveni?s relationship with Buganda.”

The Baganda are in the majority in central Uganda and the loss of this voter base would weaken Museveni’s position at the next elections.

And, to all my friends and everyone else in Uganda, stay safe. Journalists, don’t get too close.