GEN. MUHOOZI ANNOUNCES PLANS TO RELEASE ERIAS LUKWAGO

Image of Lukwago released by CDF Lt. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba on Monday.

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The Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba he plans to hand over former  Lord Mayor  of Kampala , Erias Lukwago to the police

In a post published on his X account on Tuesday, Muhoozi wrote: “Today, I will release this IDIOT to police. I have run out of diapers. Never test me again”

In another post, he added in another post: “My beloved wife Charlotte has convinced me to release the criminal Lukwago. I will release him because of my love for her.”

The announcement comes a day after widespread condemnation of Lukwago’s reported abduction by armed SFC soldiers while he was allegedly preparing to serve court documents on the CDF in connection with the ongoing treason case involving Dr. Kizza Besigye.

The Rule of Law Club of Makerere University on Tuesday issued a statement condemning the alleged abduction and warning that attacks on lawyers performing their professional duties threaten Uganda’s constitutional order and administration of justice.

The club argued that if reports that Lukwago was seized by soldiers from his Wakaliga home are accurate, the incident constitutes an abduction rather than a lawful arrest and violates constitutional protections on liberty, dignity, fair hearing and freedom from torture.

The student lawyers demanded an immediate and unconditional release of Erias Lukwago, a full and independent investigation into the reported abduction and the conduct of those involved, and called for an end to the targeting of lawyers, journalists, activists and opposition figures.

The latest statement adds to concerns already raised by the Uganda Law Society (ULS), which on Monday condemned Lukwago’s reported detention and questioned the legality of the operation.

The Lawyer’s body demanded that authorities disclose his whereabouts, allow immediate access by his lawyers and family, and uphold constitutional guarantees of due process, warning against intimidation of advocates executing their professional duties.

Speaking at a press conference, People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) Deputy President Lulume Bayiga said the party had not heard from its National Executive Chairman, Erias Lukwago, since his disappearance.

“We haven’t heard from our leader Erias Lukwago. We don’t know where he is being held, but we understand he is in the custody of the CDF,” Bayiga said.

He revealed that Lukwago’s legal team, led by Medard Lubega Ssegona, reportedly went to Nateete Police Station and the Criminal Investigations Directorate headquarters seeking to file a missing person’s report ywsterday but were allegedly denied.

“We all know that the national executive chairman was kidnapped and the kidnapper has reported himself as being the son of the President, Kainerugaba Muhoozi Museveni,” Bayiga told journalists.

Bayiga said the party does not know where Lukwago is being detained but noted that Muhoozi’s social media posts indicate he has been under the CDF’s custody.

He argued that Lukwago’s only offence was attempting to serve court summons on Muhoozi and commended the Uganda Law Society for what he described as a courageous defence of the rule of law

African civil society organisations and human rights defenders, represented by Martha Karua and counsel Proscovia Kunihira, also demanded Lukwago’s release within 48 hours or his production before a competent court

The groups called for authorities to disclose his whereabouts and allow immediate access by his family and legal representatives, saying prolonged incommunicado detention violates constitutional and international human rights standards.

Although Muhoozi has announced that Lukwago will be handed over to police, it not clear whether any formal charges will be or had been preferred against him.