By Sekaggya Seka Moses
A Ugandan court has denied bail to four members of the National Unity Platform (NUP), a prominent opposition party in Uganda.
Eddie Mutwe, Achileo Kivumbi, Grace Wakabi, and Mugumya Gaddafi, all members of the party’s security team, were arrested and charged with aggravated robbery and assault in connection with a burial they attended in May 2024.
The charges stem from an alleged incident in which the four are accused of stealing a phone and a sweater using knives and sticks. However, the accused and their supporters claim that the charges are trumped up and part of a larger campaign of political persecution.
In denying bail, the judge cited concerns that the accused might interfere with investigations or bother the complainants if released.
However, this reasoning has been met with skepticism, given that the same individuals are currently on bail for other charges and have not been accused of interfering with investigations.
Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine, the leader of the NUP, expressed outrage over the court’s decision.
He described the charges as “laughable” and the court’s ruling as “shameful.” Wine argued that the denial of bail was part of a larger pattern of judicial harassment aimed at suppressing opposition voices.
“We demand for their immediate release and call upon all Ugandans at home and abroad to raise their voices against this blatant abuse and weaponisation of the law to settle political scores,” Kyagulanyi said.
He also suggested that the court’s ruling was choreographed to ensure that the accused remain in detention, citing recent social media posts by President Museveni’s son as evidence of government interference.
The case highlights the ongoing tensions between the Ugandan government and the opposition, with many critics arguing that the government is using the law to silence dissenting voices.
The denial of bail to the four NUP members has sparked calls for their immediate release and for an end to what many see as judicial harassment of opposition figures.
The NUP leader Mr Kyagulanyi emphasized that the accused are not criminals, but rather political prisoners jailed for their loyalty to the struggle for justice and freedom. He called on Ugandans to stand in solidarity with the accused and to demand their release.
The case has raised concerns about the independence of the judiciary and the use of the law to settle political scores. Many believe that the court’s decision was influenced by the government, and that the accused will not receive a fair trial.
The situation is a clear example of the challenges faced by opposition figures in Uganda, who often find themselves facing trumped-up charges and judicial harassment.
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