Gas mask the new fashion accessory?

So life may be beautiful in Kampala but that doesn't stop the tear gas. Yep that's right, on monday most of the downtown core was awash in tear gas. The deal is the judiciary is on strike over their loss of independence stemming from the seige of the court so that some treason suspects who were being released on bail could be re-arrested. The whole thing is sketchy but you can check out the two Ugandan papers on line for details at www.newvision.co.ug for the gov't version and www.monitor.co.ug for the opposition version. It was the closest to a riot that has happened since I arrived.
Then this morning I came back up country to find that the police has broken out the tear gas against the students at Gulu University while they were protesting some financial issues that have arisen between the University, the Revenue agency and the gov't. This is not cool - I don't want to have to carry water around to protect myself from tear gas.
In other news there appears to be a renewed military presence in town. I haven't seen this many soldiers and miliatary vehicles in months......
So coupled with my discussion with the guy from the British High Commission about the kidnapping of British citizens/diplomats in Ethopia near the Eritrean border at Nicole's bday dinner, means I have been reminded that despite everything there are still some major problems over here.