By Leonard Kamugisha Akida,
KAMPALA
Opposition parties have criticized the Government over the arrest of opposition figures, following the reported detention of former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, who is also the lawyer of jailed opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye and president of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF).
Lukwago was reportedly arrested on Monday morning after security operatives, allegedly attached to the Special Forces Command (SFC), surrounded his home in Nateete-Wakaliga, Rubaga Division, Kampala.
According to Lukwago, security personnel using two drone vehicles sealed off his home before gaining access to the premises.
“Two drones have sealed off my home with security operatives hovering around,” Lukwago posted on his X handle.
In another post, he said: “I am under attack, the security operatives have jumped into my home.”
Reports indicated that the security personnel confiscated documents from the home before taking Lukwago to an undisclosed location.
His arrest came as he and other lawyers representing Dr Besigye were seeking to serve court summons on Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba over a case filed by Besigye accusing him of making repeated public threats against his life.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) condemned the arrest, describing it as politically motivated.
Speaking to journalists at the party headquarters in Najjanankumbi, FDC deputy president for Western Uganda, Robert Centenary, said the move was aimed at frustrating the legal process involving Besigye’s case.
“This is politically motivated because the trial of our founding president, Dr Kizza Besigye, was meant to have commenced last week if the judiciary had not exposed these incompetences,” Centenary said.
He accused the government of attacking the independence of the judiciary and violating citizens’ rights.
“Our appeal is that the government should allow the course of the law to take its nature, stop intimidating lawyers, suspects and citizens. Let the law lead the entire process,” he said.
PFF also condemned the arrest, saying Lukwago’s rights were violated because no proper procedures were followed.
Former Kiira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda said the party had reasons to believe that Lukwago’s arrest was linked to Gen Muhoozi.
“We have all reasons to believe that he was kidnapped on the orders of the CDF Muhoozi Kainerugaba,” Ssemujju said.
He cited previous arrests of opposition members, including Dr Besigye and his colleague Hajji Obeid Lutaale Kamulegeya, who were arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024 and later charged with treason.
PFF demanded Lukwago’s immediate and unconditional release.
The opposition also warned that President Yoweri Museveni’s expected seventh term in office, which he has described as “Kisanja no more sleep”, could be marked by more arrests and disappearances of government critics.
By press time, police had not confirmed Lukwago’s arrest.
“I am not aware of the arrest of former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago. In the event I get more information about it, we can always share,” police spokesperson Michael Kituuma Rusoke said.
