Human rights advocate and UNAIDS Executive Director Winnie Byanyima has issued a strong political statement following the charging of former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago with misprision of treason at Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court, warning of what she describes as a deepening breakdown of the rule of law in Uganda.
Lukwago, a prominent opposition lawyer, was on Wednesday charged over allegations that he allegedly failed to report information related to suspected treasonous activities.
Lukwago, a prominent opposition lawyer, was on Wednesday charged over allegations that he allegedly failed to report information related to suspected treasonous activities.
He denied the charges and was remanded, with his bail application scheduled for consideration in the coming days.
The development has drawn heightened political attention due to Lukwago’s role as a defence lawyer for opposition figures, including detained National Unity Platform leader Kizza Besigye, who is separately facing treason-related charges.
Reacting to the court developments, Byanyima cautioned that the situation reflects a broader pattern affecting opposition-linked legal and political actors.
“Ugandans, wake up.When lawyers are charged alongside their clients, when opposition leaders are abducted and tortured, and when courts are ignored, the rule of law is no longer under threat, it is being destroyed.Those of us who lived through Idi Amin’s era know where this road leads.
"This is bigger than Kizza Besigye, Erias Lukwago or any one political leader. It is about whether Uganda will be governed by law or by fear. Ugandans must unite and peacefully take back our country,” she said.
Her remarks come at a time of intensified scrutiny over the handling of opposition-related cases, with legal teams and rights groups raising concerns over due process, arrests, and detention conditions.
Authorities have maintained that cases involving treason and related offences are handled strictly within the law, although they have not issued a detailed public response to Byanyima’s latest statement.
The case involving Lukwago is expected to return to court for further proceedings, including a ruling on his bail application, as legal and political pressure continues to build around the matter.
The developments have further amplified debate over Uganda’s political and judicial environment, with growing calls for restraint, transparency, and adherence to constitutional safeguards.