Former mayor and lawyer Erias Lukwago, who has been representing the detained opposition leader Kizza Besigye, was taken into custody early this week in Kampala. He appears visibly weakened in court, according to local media reports, following an arrest at his home.
The charges against him involve a failure to report treason, a serious offence in Uganda. Lukwago denies the allegations and was remanded pending a hearing scheduled for next week.
The arrest drew swift condemnation from opposition circles. General Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the army chief who is also the president’s son, boasted about the detention on social media, implying state involvement.
In response, Lukwago’s family petitioned a court to compel security officers to disclose his location and to ensure his release, whether he is alive or deceased. They argue that the military chief’s public claims point to an orchestrated seizure.
Kainerugaba’s posts included photos of Lukwago blindfolded, allegedly at an unknown location, and harassing messages aimed at undermining the lawyer’s reputation.
The case highlights the precarious position of attorneys in Uganda’s high‑stakes political arena. Lukwago has long served Besigye, the opposition stalwart who has faced multiple detentions and returned from abduction in Kenya. Besigye’s history as the former personal doctor of President Yoweri Museveni, followed by his break with the regime, has made him a frequent target of state‑backed repression.
The unfolding events underscore a broader trend of governmental overreach and a chilling effect on legal and political dissent in the region.
