KAMPALA – Controversial academician turned politician and human rights defender Dr Stella Nyanzi returned home on Thursday after over a month of ‘self-exile’ in Nairobi – Kenya.
The former Makerere University research assistant had claimed, about two weeks earlier that Kenyan authorities were threatening her with ‘deportation’ for defending refugees and homosexuals.
Dr Nyanzi left for Nairobi following her dismissal performance in the contest for the Kampala Woman MP – a seat that went to Shamim Malende of the National Unity Platform.
Nyanzi claimed her life and those of her children were in danger.
Provocative as her known trademark, Dr Nyanza attacked opposition politicians –including NUP’s Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine, whom she termed as a ‘worse dictator than President Yoweri Museveni.’
Apparently, trouble for the scholar with the Kenyans is believed to have emanated from her rant on social media about the plight of refugees and homosexuals in the Harambeland.
“Last night I briefly shared the sad news of the death of a refugee who was burnt along with several others in Block 13 of Kakuma Refugee Camp in Kenya. I am still shocked by many of the responses,” noted Nyanzi on her facebook wall.
“Another horribly evil group of human beings wants me to be quiet because I’m a foreigner seeking refuge in Kenya.
“They ordered me to politely stay in my place lest they would withdraw their hospitality to me in their country. They forced me to be grateful that refugees have taken advantage of Kenya’s relative peace to seek refuge here for many years.
“They threateningly reminded me that the Kenyan government closed Kakuma and Dadaab camps and ordered all refugees to be withdrawn. They told me to go back home if I found Kenya hostile. This is Xenophobia,” she fired in her usual – I careless attitude.
Dr Nyanzi who returned into the country through the Entebbe International Airport, noted that her hosts had treated her well – announcing that it was great to be back.
“It is great to be back home in Uganda. Thank you Kenya for being good to my family, every human being deserves a holiday far from the madding crowd,” she concluded.
Dr Nyanzi travelled to Kenya by road, arriving in Nairobi with assistance from her lawyer Professor George Luchiri Wajackoyah; sought asylum on claims of political persecution.
It should be recalled that Dr Nyanzi was arrested in 2017 for insulting the Ugandan president. She was charged with a number of counts related to computer misuse; remanded in Luzira after she declined to apply for bail.
