A sharp political storm is brewing in Uganda after the abduction of senior lawyer and opposition figure Erias Lukwago, with strong condemnation coming from the family of detained opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye.
In an X statement, Besigye’s wife said she was “devastated” by the treatment of Lukwago, describing the incident as a direct attack on the rule of law and the independence of the justice system.
She stated that Lukwago’s alleged abduction, torture and public humiliation went beyond individual suffering, arguing that it represented a broader assault on legal protections in the country.
“I am devastated by what has been done to Erias Lukwago. His abduction, torture and public humiliation are not just an attack on one man. They are an assault on the rule of law itself,” she said.
The statement directly referenced President Yoweri Museveni and his son, Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, accusing the military leadership of exercising unchecked power in political and legal matters.
She alleged that Gen. Muhoozi had previously issued threats against Dr. Besigye, ignored court processes, and now presided over what she described as the brutalisation of Lukwago, who serves as co-lead counsel in Besigye’s defence team.
The remarks come at a time when Lukwago’s whereabouts remain unknown following reports that he was picked up by armed security operatives from his home in Kampala earlier this week.
Opposition-linked sources have described the incident as an abduction, while authorities have not issued a detailed public explanation.
The statement further questioned the integrity of Uganda’s justice system, raising concerns about whether courts, lawyers and citizens can expect protection under the current political environment.
“What meaning is left in a court case when one man holds such unchecked power? What protection exists for prisoners, lawyers, judges or ordinary citizens?” she posed.
She concluded by saying the situation had exposed what she called a collapse of the rule-of-law narrative, arguing that governance in Uganda is increasingly driven by the will of a few powerful individuals rather than constitutional institutions.
“The mask has slipped. The claim that Uganda is governed by law rather than by the will of two powerful men has become impossible to sustain. It’s a sad day in Uganda,” she said.