Lukwago Detention Exposes Uganda’s Rule of Law Crisis.
16/6/2026
Eng Winnie Byanyima has condemned the arrest and detention of Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, describing it as an assault on the rule of law and accusing Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba of acting above the law.
In a statement posted on X, Byanyima said she was “devastated” by what had happened to Lukwago, who was seized by armed men in military uniform from his Wakaliga home on Monday before images later emerged showing him in detention.
“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.
Byanyima directly linked the detention to the ongoing legal battle involving opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, whose defence team includes Lukwago.
Addressing President Museveni, she accused Gen Muhoozi of repeatedly disregarding legal processes.
“Your son and army commander has repeatedly demonstrated that he is above the law. He threatened to kill Dr Kizza Besigye, defied court processes, and now Erias Lukwago, co-lead of Besigye’s defence team, has been brutalised,” she wrote.
The remarks come amid growing controversy over social media posts by Muhoozi, who shared images appearing to show Lukwago in military custody, including one photograph in which the opposition lawyer appeared blindfolded.
The arrest occurred days after the High Court ordered Muhoozi and other respondents to file a defence in a human rights suit filed by Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale.
The petition challenges alleged threats made by the CDF against Besigye and the circumstances surrounding Besigye’s 2024 arrest in Nairobi and transfer to Uganda.
Lukwago is among the lead lawyers handling the case and had been involved in efforts to serve court documents on the respondents.
Questioning the state of Uganda’s institutions, Byanyima asked: “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?”
Her comments add to mounting pressure on authorities, with the Uganda Law Society demanding Lukwago’s immediate release and announcing a nationwide lawyers’ strike on June 26, World Anti-Torture Day.
The arrest occurred days after the High Court ordered Muhoozi and other respondents to file a defence in a human rights suit filed by Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale.
By Skynewsug.com
