Ugandan Lawyer Erias Lukwago Charged With Treason‑Related Offence After Arrest

Thu Jun 18 2026 19:37:02 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

Former mayor and legal advocate faces treason charges amid a wider crackdown on opposition in Uganda

Erias Lukwago, who has defended opposition leader Kizza Besigye, was summoned by magistrates in Kampala and arrested earlier this week. He is accused of failing to report treason and can not be released until next week. The arrest followed Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba’s boastful social‑media posts and raised concerns about abuse of power. Lukwago’s family seeks a court order to prove his whereabouts, claiming he may have been held in secret detention. The case highlights authorities’ increasing pressure on opposition voices in the country.

Erias Lukwago charged with treason‑related offence after arrest

Erias Lukwago, former mayor of a Ugandan city and lawyer who has represented opposition figure Kizza Besigye, appeared before a magistrate in Kampala on Monday. He looked visibly weak after his arrest at home, according to local reports.

The lawyer denied the charges of failure to report treason and was remanded in prison until the court session next week.

His detention sparked public condemnation after Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the country’s army chief and son of President Yoweri Museveni, boasted about the arrest on social media.

Bobi Wine, an opposition politician who fled the country fearing for his life, alleged that Lukwago was seized at Kainerugaba’s orders while preparing to present a court summons to the military chief.

In response, Lukwago’s family filed a request for a court order requiring security officers to disclose his whereabouts and to ensure his release, whether he survives the detention.

Kainerugaba’s posts included photos that reportedly showed Lukwago blindfolded in an unknown location and a statement threatening harm to the legal advocate. The army chief has a history of controversial social‑media posts and has previously claimed to have abducted and tortured opposition figures.

The lawyer’s client, Kizza Besigye, remains on trial for treason and has been held in custody since being abducted in Kenya and forcibly returned to Uganda in late 2024. Besigye is a long‑standing rival of President Museveni, having served as his personal doctor before breaking ranks in 1999 and running against him in several presidential campaigns.

Erias Lukwago’s case underscores the urgent concerns about the government’s suppression of dissenting voices and the growing climate of fear surrounding opposition activities in Uganda.