Ugandan activist Stella Nyanzi says she suffered miscarriage in jail

What you need to know:

  • She has been in remand at Luzira Prison since November last year on charges of cyber harassment and offensive communication against President Yoweri Museveni.
  • Dr Nyanzi was fired from Makerere University last month in a massive ‘staff reshuffle’ that saw 45 senior academic staff shown the door.

Former Makerere University researcher Dr Stella Nyanzi told a Ugandan court that she recently suffered a miscarriage while in jail.

Dr Nyanzi was in court Wednesday for the hearing of a case she filed against Makerere University for refusing to re-instate her employment.

Dr Nyanzi, who looked frail and said she suffers from hypertension, explained to the judge that she had been admitted to the prison's sick bay and was unable to get in touch with her lawyer Isaac Ssemakadde to swear a supporting affidavit in her case.

Dr Nyanzi has been in remand at Luzira Prison since November last year on charges of cyber harassment and offensive communication against President Yoweri Museveni.

She was fired from Makerere University last month in a massive ‘staff reshuffle’ that saw 45 senior academic staff shown the door.

According to the vice chancellor of university Prof Barnabas Nawangwe, the majority of the staff fired absconded duty for over five years and others were involved in sexual harassment cases.