Sylvester Danson Kahyana, a Ugandan professor and writer, has made his mark with poetry and children’s literature. However, it was his Facebook posts that drew unwanted attention. Amani Matabaro Tom, a longtime activist, has been vocal about child labor abuses and the environmental consequences of mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Both Kahyana and Tom are concluding their 10-month residencies at Harvard University under the Scholars at Risk program, having faced persecution and threats of violence in their home countries for speaking out against government corruption and injustice.
Kahyana, who holds a Ph.D. in English studies from Stellenbosch University in South Africa, was an associate professor at Makerere University in Uganda. During the pandemic, he began posting critiques on Facebook about the Ugandan government’s handling of the crisis, particularly focusing on governance and the Ministry of Education.
“I didn’t even write very many, maybe 10 Facebook posts in nine months,” Kahyana said. “Each one of them became viral … forwarded so many times. I started public debates about governance, about the pandemic, and about the Ministry of Education, which is what a university professor should do.”
Among the issues he highlighted was the poor management of remote learning by Janet Museveni, Uganda’s Minister of Education and wife of President Yoweri Museveni. Kahyana returned to Uganda in November 2021 after his stint as a Fulbright Scholar at Michigan State University. Upon his return, he faced online threats, but he initially dismissed them as inconsequential.
However, Kahyana’s fellow Ugandan writers were not so fortunate. Novelist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija was arrested and tortured in 2021 for his novel “The Greedy Barbarian,” a critique of Museveni, before escaping to Germany. Human rights advocate Stella Nyanzi was also exiled to Germany after serving jail sentences for her outspoken critiques of the Ugandan government.
Kahyana, a former president of the Uganda branch of PEN International, wrote several poems in response to the government’s actions against Rukirabashaija. In April 2022, Kahyana was attacked and robbed by two men armed with a machete, an incident that left him suspicious of the true motives behind the attack.
Fearing for his life, Kahyana fled Uganda, eventually seeking refuge in Finland, South Africa, and Malawi. He later secured support from the Artist Protection Fund and received an invitation from Harvard University. Since arriving at Harvard, Kahyana has been working on papers concerning Uganda’s anti-homosexuality laws and transnational repression.
Meanwhile, Amani Matabaro Tom, a married father of six from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has dedicated his life to activism. As the founding director of Action Kivu and co-founder of ABFEC, Tom has worked tirelessly to support those affected by the ongoing conflict in Congo’s North and South Kivu provinces. He also founded the Congo Peace School Program, aiming to provide education to students in conflict zones to prevent them from being lured into militias and mines.
Tom’s activism has focused on exposing corruption in the export of strategic minerals from Congo, particularly the three T’s—tin, tungsten, and tantalum—along with gold. These minerals, essential for various industries, have been controlled by militias and corrupt politicians, fueling ongoing conflicts in the region.
Tom’s outspoken efforts have made him a target of threats and violence. Despite these challenges, Tom remains committed to his work, though he continues to face danger, even as he participates in the Scholars at Risk program.
Both Kahyana and Tom, having left family behind in their home countries, continue to navigate the complexities of living in exile while advocating for justice and human rights. As they finish their terms at Harvard, they are considering their next steps, with Kahyana exploring opportunities at other universities and Tom continuing his lifelong fight for peace and justice in Congo.
