Latif Madoi: Ugandan designer vows to regrow dreadlocks cut in jail

A outstanding Ugandan designer whose dreadlocks have been lower off after he was arrested has informed the BBC he plans to develop them again “for so long as [he] lives”.

Latif Madoi, who has made garments for celebrities like late South African reggae icon Fortunate Dube and Jamaica’s Busy Sign, spent simply over six weeks in detention.

He has not been convicted of any crime however the jail authorities nonetheless insisted on chopping the dreadlocks he had been rising for 17 years.

On Monday he was launched on bail for a million Ugandan shillings (£213; $269).

After settling in again dwelling, Mr Madoi informed the BBC that dropping his beloved locs “was his breaking-point”.

The 47-year-old was recognized for performing “vogue concert events” the place he would make 10 to fifteen clothes in simply two hours.

However now, with out the dreadlocks that have been a key a part of his Rastafarian identification, he feels “shy… like I am unable to go to locations. Perhaps I will even really feel shy coming again on stage”.

Police mentioned they raided his vogue college and arrested him for possessing “uniforms declared to be for the unique use” of the navy and police, which is against the law below Ugandan regulation.

However Mr Madoi, his lawyer and numerous Ugandan supporters online are satisfied he was locked up for his affiliation with Bobi Wine, the opposition chief and singer whose actual identify is Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu.

The pair met when Bobi Wine requested Mr Madoi to make him some garments for his concert events and music movies. Their relationship continued when Bobi Wine entered politics – the opposition chief’s signature campaigning outfit, a pair of shiny purple overalls, have been designed by Mr Madoi.

Mr Madoi accepts that he was in possession of navy gear when police raided his college on 13 Could – however that that uniform was from the US military.

He tells the BBC he was making alterations for his buddy who’s a serving marine in the US.

Regardless of having this uniform, Mr Madoi says he’s sure the police arrested him as a result of he made Bobi Wine’s purple total.

“There is no different cause. Everybody who’s affiliated with Bobi Wine will at all times be arrested,” he says.

“We all know we aren’t free any extra. I can’t go to him at his dwelling any time I need, like I used to. You at all times worry that possibly you’re going to get arrested.”

The BBC has approached the Ugandan authorities for remark.

The nation’s safety forces have an extended historical past of pursuing President Yoweri Museveni’s political opponents.

Bobi Wine, presently the president’s largest rival, has been arrested quite a few occasions and confronted a number of expenses, together with treason, all of which he denies.

The authorities deny the arrests have been political and say they’ve been mandatory to take care of regulation and order throughout opposition protests.

On Monday, Bobi Wine introduced Mr Madoi’s launch to his two million followers on social media platform X.

“Welcome again from captivity my brother Latif Madoi,” the message learn.

“It is a disgrace what loss, indignity and humiliation the regime has subjected you to because it detained you 6 weeks in the past for having supplied us your skilled companies.”

Mr Madoi is due again in courtroom on 29 July. Between from time to time, he will probably be making an attempt to interchange his college’s stitching machines, which have been seized within the raid.

“The enterprise will not be the identical… college students don’t have any machines the place they will study from, the place we are able to make demonstrations from,” he says.

Mr Madoi can also be engaged on feeling assured with out his dreadlocks and has already managed to establish an upside.

“I’ve a daughter… she has by no means seen me with out [dreadlocks]. Perhaps she was at all times considering: ‘My dad was born like that’,” he laughs.

“That is comforted me – now she has the prospect to see me with out hair, trying like another individual.”