The Chief of Defence Forces, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, has escalated his remarks on the detention of former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, stating that only senior military figure Salim Saleh can influence his release.
Lukwago remains in custody after a court denied him bail on Tuesday, a decision that has intensified political debate and drawn reactions from both government and opposition circles.
In a fresh statement shared publicly, Muhoozi suggested that Lukwago’s fate now hinges on intervention from Saleh, whom he described as a key figure within Uganda’s political and military establishment.
“If Afande Saleh, our no.2 in the revolution, asks me to forgive Lukwago we will release him with conditions. It has to come from Afande himself,” Muhoozi stated.
The comments introduce a new dimension to the case, raising questions about the role of military influence in legal and political processes, particularly in high-profile opposition cases.
Muhoozi had earlier linked Lukwago’s arrest to past accusations the opposition lawyer made against him regarding human rights, strongly rejecting the claims while defending his military record.
“Lukwago committed the ultimate crime. Accusing me of violating human rights when I am the biggest defender of human rights in Uganda. When I was fighting Joseph Kony in Northern Uganda he was doing nothing apart from impregnating women in Kampala,” he said.
At the same time, Muhoozi framed recent security operations targeting opposition actors as necessary measures to safeguard national stability.
“Our operations against the Opposition last week are a reassurance to the great Ugandan people by the Security Forces that Uganda will NEVER be led or controlled by a foreign-sponsored political organisation!” he added.
Lukwago, a long-time critic of the government, has frequently clashed with state authorities over governance and civil liberties. His continued detention is expected to remain a focal point in Uganda’s political discourse.
Attention now turns to upcoming court
proceedings and whether any political or institutional intervention could alter the trajectory of the case.