Kenyan lawyer and former Law Society of Kenya (LSK) president Nelson Havi has weighed in on the controversial arrest of Kampala lawyer Erias Lukwago, calling on Ugandans to stand up against what he described as growing authoritarianism.
Havi’s remarks follow Lukwago’s forceful arrest by armed security operatives, an incident that has triggered widespread concern within Uganda’s legal fraternity and opposition circles.
The situation escalated further after Chief of Defence Forces General Muhoozi Kainerugaba publicly mocked Lukwago and appeared to acknowledge involvement in the operation.
In a strongly worded statement directed at Ugandans, Havi urged citizens to take action, warning against silence in the face of state power.
“Ugandans must end their cowardice and confront this infant tyrant,” he said, adding that while resistance may come at a cost, history does not favour those who remain silent. “Of course some of them will die in the struggle but show me which coward lived forever?”
Lukwago was reportedly picked up from his residence by military personnel and held incommunicado before later being presented in court.
His arrest has been widely described as an abduction by opposition figures and sections of the Uganda Law Society, citing the manner in which it was conducted and the delay in disclosing his whereabouts.
Authorities have since charged Lukwago with misprision of treason, an offence that relates to failure to report knowledge of a planned act of treason.
The charges are believed to stem from his legal work representing opposition figures and challenging actions by security agencies.
The incident has intensified debate within Uganda over the role of the military in civilian affairs, particularly in politically sensitive cases.
Critics argue that public comments by senior military officials risk undermining judicial independence and due process