The premiere of “Sabotage” happened last night at Century Cinemax Acacia Mall. It was a fancy event attended by people from Uganda’s arts industry, representatives from development organizations, and movie lovers. “Sabotage” was brought to life by Reach A Hand Uganda (RAHU) along with Sauti+ Media Hub and Nabwiso Films. Mathew Nabwiso directed the film, starring Stella Natumbwe, Sharifa Ali, Jjemba Dean Austin, Denid Kinan, and others. It’s a drama set around a traditional wedding (‘kwanjula’) dealing with sexual violence, abortion, and tradition to raise awareness about Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights (SRHR) in Uganda.
Humphrey Nabimanya, the film’s Executive Producer, spoke to the guests during the premiere. He said, “Sexual violence is sadly common and affects girls and women a lot. It causes them lasting pain and often leads to unsafe abortions. ‘Sabotage’ shines a light on this urgent issue and stresses the need for immediate action to protect our young girls and women.”
Abortion is against the law in Uganda. Article 22 of the 1995 Constitution says everyone has the right to life, and Article 22(2) specifically says an unborn child can’t be ended unless it’s to save the mother’s life. So, unsafe abortion becomes the only option, especially for victims of sexual violence, and it leads to mothers dying in Uganda.
James Tumusiime, RAHU’s Country Director, said, “Through ‘Sabotage,’ we’re using the power of visuals to show and deal with stigma, violence against girls, teenage pregnancy, mothers dying because of unsafe abortion, and harmful cultural beliefs in Uganda.”
The premiere gave some people a chance to see the result of months of hard work by the actors and crew. Mathew Nabwiso, the director, said, “We’re grateful for all the effort put into making this movie and for wanting to bring about big changes in society. We hope more people get the chance to see it and talk openly about Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights in Uganda.”
“Sabotage” will be shown to the public on February 23rd, 24th, and 25th, 2024, at Century Cinemax branches at Acacia Mall, Arena Mall, and Metroplex Naalya. After the show, guests enjoyed a fancy reception with drinks and had the chance to talk with the actors and crew about the movie.
RAHU also took the opportunity to thank the partners who helped make the movie, including the Hewlett Foundation, The Coalition to Stop Maternal Mortality Due to Unsafe Abortion (CSMMUA), Billi Now Now, Rutgers International, RightHereRightNow, and Movit Uganda.