The New Times caught up with some of the Ugandans who participated in the Protest against the widely condemned arrest of Rose Kabuye by Germans and the French.

"To me, am not looking at borders, they are artificial and they were drawn by Europeans. I am looking at an African woman, a freedom fighter and a mother. Rose Kabuye is one of us and the French have nothing to do with her. She must be released now and France owes Africa, Rwanda and her family in particular, an apology,” Grace Kabayo, Executive Director, The Global Pan African Movement.

"I am extremely angered by the actions of the French and the Germans. That’s why we had to come up with something like this. We cannot stand this arrogance of Europeans anymore and we have come out to condemn these acts in the strongest terms possible. We cannot go on to use their products; we will stop refueling at Total, stop studying their language at Alliance Francaise or even use their cosmetics,” Pastor Martin Ssempa, Makerere Community Church.

"We are fighting for a noble cause. We know they (French) are supporting Interahamwe militias in Congo and they should answer for Genocide crimes. Germans began this by partitioning Africa many years ago and now they have began again. Rose Kabuye should be freed and now…now,” a very emotional ‘AA’ (Anonymous and Angry).

"This is a violation of the sovereignty of a Country and International law. Rose Kabuye has been victimized by the French and even if she had a case to answer, the right procedures should have been followed but France has no right to indict her. Besides, it has no evidence that Rose Kabuye played a role in downing President Habyarimana’s plane,” Frank Kagame, Makerere University student.

"I actually didn’t know that something like this was happening in Uganda. I was just passing and when I saw this group, I had to look for a place to park my truck and join the struggle for justice. It’s not good for France to come and arrest an official in a high ranking position, in an independent country. Every African should stand up against this,” Issa Ssengendo, 49, Driver.

"Rose is known to me as a relative. She was my student at one time. She’s a strong, great woman and she will come through it. Actually it’s them (the French) who should be arrested and prosecuted not Rose who was and is a victim of their crimes. This is an act of Neocolonialism and there is no doubt, Rose will pull Rwanda out of Neocolonialism,” Joan Kakwenzire, Presidential advisor on Poverty Eradication and a Human Rights activist.

"We are expressing our outrage to this arrogance of Europeans who arrested our comrade Rose Kabuye. We condemn these acts and we call upon France to respect Rwanda as a sovereign country. We very well know the role France played in the 1994 Genocide, we very well know that they are supporting interahamwe in Eastern DRC and in any case, they should be the ones to face justice,” Stephen Othieno, Executive Assistant to the General Secretary, Pan African Movement.

"It is absolutely wrong for Rose to be arrested by a foreign Country. It is bad and regrettable and it has set a bad precedent. It undermines the independence of African Countries and the African Union. France should immediately release her. They have offended us enough,” Peter Wankulu, 78 African Union Veteran.

"What do we want? Free Rose. When do we want her? Right now.  France shame on you….I guess that says it all,” Frank Kanyesigye, 24, Marketing Executive.

"She’s an African woman, a fighter. She must be freed now, with immediate effect. They should not make her a victim of circumstances. They should not make her a scapegoat of their own misgivings,” Rogers Mawanda, 23, Guild President Uganda Fisheries Institute.

Ends