National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Bobi Wine has demanded the immediate release of former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago following reports that the detained opposition politician was rushed to Mulago Hospital in critical condition.
Bobi Wine expressed concern over Lukwago’s reported health condition, joining other Ugandans calling for his release and raising questions about the treatment of political opponents in detention.
In a statement, the opposition leader said Lukwago had reportedly been transferred from jail to Mulago Hospital after his condition deteriorated.
“Joining the rest of well-meaning Ugandans to demand for the urgent release of Counsel Erias Lukwago, whom we understand was today rushed from jail to Mulago Hospital in very critical condition,” Bobi Wine said.
He argued that political differences should never justify actions that threaten citizens’ lives or undermine their dignity.
“We owe ourselves a country where no amount of political disagreement is greater than citizens' right to life and human dignity,” he added.
Bobi Wine also criticised what he described as sham judicial processes targeting individuals who oppose the government, insisting that political disagreements should not expose citizens to unfair treatment under the justice system.
The NUP leader’s remarks add to calls for Lukwago’s release amid concerns over his reported medical emergency while in custody.
However, the circumstances surrounding Lukwago’s reported hospitalisation, the nature of his condition and the medical care he is receiving were not immediately established from Bobi Wine’s statement.
Lukwago, a prominent opposition figure and lawyer, has been a vocal critic of the Ugandan government and has previously challenged state actions through political activism and legal proceedings.
His reported transfer to Mulago Hospital is likely to intensify scrutiny of the circumstances surrounding his detention and the treatment of opposition figures in custody.
Bobi Wine’s intervention also highlights the wider debate over civil liberties, access to justice and the protection of fundamental rights in Uganda.
The reported hospitalisation comes against a backdrop of tensions between opposition politicians and the government over political freedoms and the handling of dissent.
Further information from prison authorities, hospital officials or Lukwago’s legal representatives would be needed to establish his current condition and clarify the circumstances that led to his reported transfer to hospital.