Kerry Howard Mwesigwa
Stanley Kisambira, a driver employed by the Judiciary who raised concerns about his low salary has been granted a non-cash bail of UGX 10 million by Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu. Kisambira appeared before the Buganda Road Court in Kampala, where he faced charges of promoting hate speech against judges. After spending three days in Luzira prison, he pleaded not guilty to the charge and applied for bail.
The legal issues surrounding Kisambira’s situation arose after an audio recording, in which he expressed discontent with his low salary, went viral on social media. Prosecutors allege that on May 12, 2023, Kisambira shared the recorded audio through the Judiciary Transport WhatsApp group. The audio contained remarks that could potentially incite hostility towards judges, as Kisambira criticized the salary disparity between judges and their drivers. He even went as far as suggesting that a driver might deliberately cause a fatal road accident involving judges and their bodyguards.
Following the widespread circulation of the audio recording, Kisambira was initially detained but later released on police bond. However, when he presented himself at Kampala Central Police Station on Monday morning for an extension of his bond, he was re-arrested.
In the audio recording, Kisambira, who had been serving as the driver for Justice Godfrey Namundi in Mbale District, expressed frustration with his monthly salary of Shs235,000, emphasizing that it was inadequate to meet his family’s needs. He implied that such low pay could potentially push him or others in his position, to cause an accident resulting in the loss of lives, including that of the judge.
During the court hearing, Chief Magistrate Gladys Kamasanyu carefully examined Kisambira’s grounds for bail and assessed the credibility of the sureties presented. Taking all factors into consideration, Magistrate Kamasanyu allowed the bail application, setting a non-cash bond of Shs10 million. Additionally, each of Kisambira’s sureties was required to execute a bond of Shs5 million non-cash. The Magistrate has set June 12, when Kisambira will further appear in court for the mention of the case.
