The Makindye Magistrate’s Court has remanded the former Lord Mayor of Kampala, Erias Lukwago, and the President of the People’s Front for Freedom, to Luzira Prison on charges of misprision of treason, days after his arrest. Chief Magistrate, Sarah Anne Basemera, read the charge of misprision of treason to Lukwago and his lawyers, led by Medard Lubega Ssegona, at Makindye Court. It is alleged that he concealed knowledge of a treasonous act without reporting it to authorities.
The prosecution said Lukwago and others still at large are accused of knowing, between 2021 and November 2024, in places including Nairobi, Kenya, and Kampala, Uganda, that Joel Wakayima, Frank Kihehere Atukunda, Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, and Retired Dr Kizza Besigye intended to commit treason.
Prosecutors allege they failed to disclose this information with reasonable speed to the Minister and Administration of ISO, a magistrate, or an officer in charge of a police station, and did not take reasonable steps to prevent the treason. The defence team, led by Medard Lubega Ssegona, Samuel Muyizi, and Mathias Mpuuga, submitted Lukwago’s bail application, medical forms showing he requires proper medication, and documents for his sureties.
The prosecution asked for time to verify the sureties’ documents within one week. The sureties are Betty Awor Achan, City MP for Gulu and Deputy President of PFF Northern Uganda, Dr Lulume Bayiga, 56, former MP for Buikwe South, Deputy President of PFF, and Hon Betty Nambooze Bakireke, current MP for Mukono Municipality.
The defence asked the court to remand Lukwago to a medical facility rather than prison so he can receive proper care under security supervision, which would also allow the prosecution and police surgeon to assess his health while he is treated.
“If the intention is justice and a fair trial, then I invite them to come to the hospital under their guard with limited visitation to conduct their checks. We accept their one-week demand. If he is in the hospital, he can prepare for the case he faces in case bail is granted, and they can also verify the sureties’ documents during that time,” Ssegona said.
But Basemera, the Chief Magistrate, ruled that the state has two days to file its response electronically. She said the court will deliver its ruling on the bail application on Monday. She then remanded Lukwago to Luzira Upper Prison at Murchison Bay, where the prison hospital is located, taking his medical condition into account.
In May 2025, an indictment filed at Nakawa Court after investigations were completed in the treason case against Dr Kizza Besigye named several opposition figures. Prosecutors allege they attended meetings outside Uganda aimed at overthrowing the government. According to court records in Dr Besigye’s case, an American agent, Andrew Wilson, was contacted in 2021 by Joel Wakhaima, a Ugandan based in Switzerland.
Wilson alleges that Wakhaima sought assistance to acquire firearms and train Ugandans to overthrow the government. Upon realizing the request, Wilson reported it to a senior UPDF officer serving in Somalia at the time. The officer advised Wilson to become a government informant and engage further with JW to uncover the plot.
“AW was introduced to intelligence officers at Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI), under whose supervision he continued to work and to whom he regularly reported his activities,” the DPP’s documents state. Wilson continued engagements with JW until 2023, when JW introduced him to Hon. Salaam Musumba.
“AW had a conversation with Salaam Musumba via Zoom, and the proceedings of this meeting were recorded by AW. During this meeting, Salaam Musumba requested training for their people in covert communications and intelligence gathering techniques for the purpose of spying on the government,” reads the summary of evidence.
Later, Wilson met Musumba in Brussels, Belgium, at a meeting also attended by now former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, Hon. Ssemujju Nganda, Lubega Mukaku, and Charles Rwomushana. “In the discussions at this meeting, AW agreed to join the plot to overturn the government and agreed to be their security and military advisor. The discussions at this meeting were recorded by AW, and the recording shall be relied upon at the trial,” the summary states.
According to prosecutors, Musumba requested JW to introduce Wilson to Besigye. An online discussion followed, culminating in a physical meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, on October 29, 2023, attended by Besigye, Wilson, Frank Kihehere Atukunda, and JW. “At this meeting, the group discussed the plot to overturn the government of Uganda by force of arms. Besigye/A1 requested military assistance from AW to destabilize Uganda. A1 also requested AW to train some of his (A1) allies in covert intelligence and paramilitary tactics, which request AW accepted,” reads the indictment-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
