14 7/2026
NUP lawyer Samuel Muyizzi says Olivia Lutaaya may consider another plea deal because of her earlier conviction, but has warned other detained party members to weigh the lasting consequences of pleading guilty.
National Unity Platform lawyer Samuel Muyizzi has advised jailed party supporter Olivia Lutaaya to consider another plea deal with the state.
Muyizzi says Lutaaya has “nothing to lose” since her earlier conviction already exposes her to the consequences of having a criminal record.
Muyizzi, however, warned other NUP members facing charges of unlawful military drilling and related offences against pleading guilty without considering the effect on their careers, travel and political ambitions.
He warned that a plea deal requires an accused person to admit the charges in exchange for an agreed outcome, usually involving a reduced sentence or an earlier release.
Such a deal, he said, could make it harder for an individual to secure government employment, obtain police clearance, travel abroad or qualify for some political positions.
The lawyer warned that accused people with no previous convictions risked carrying a damaging record for the rest of their lives.
It means that you will never be employed anywhere in government or any of the large entities because you have a criminal record; you can no longer leave the country to look for work because you can’t get clearance from Interpol. You cannot get a visa either,” he said.
Some of the accused are councillors and other political leaders… A plea deal means that you can no longer contest in politics. There is so much to lose because that record stays with you for the rest of your life,” Muyizzi said.
Last week, three co-accused in the case involving NUP deputy spokesperson Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro reportedly pleaded guilty to charges connected to alleged military-style drills at the party’s Makerere-Kavule headquarters.
The three are Sergio Yasin Sserugo, Farouk Baruku and Edwin Sserunkuma. They are expected to negotiate plea arrangements with the prosecution.
The case arose from a parade staged at the NUP headquarters during party president Robert Kyagulanyi’s birthday celebrations on February 12, 2025.
Prosecutors allege that the participants carried out military-style exercises without permission from the Internal Affairs minister.
The accused have generally denied the charges.
