By Swift Reporter
Former Kampala Lord Mayor and acting president of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), Erias Lukwago, has been transferred to Kira Division Police Headquarters, ending nearly two days of uncertainty over his whereabouts following his arrest by armed security operatives on Monday.
The development was confirmed on Wednesday morning by opposition leaders and members of Lukwago’s legal team who travelled to Kira Police Station after receiving information about his location.
Former Kampala Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura said lawyer Medard Lubega Ssegona had been granted access to Lukwago, although other family members, supporters and colleagues were reportedly denied entry.
“We are at Kira Division Police Headquarters where Salongo Erias Lukwago is currently being held. Counsel Ssegona has been allowed to access him. The rest of us have been blocked,” Nyanjura posted on social media.
The transfer follows a series of controversial social media posts by Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who had previously indicated that Lukwago was being held under his custody after the opposition leader was seized from his Wakaliga residence in a pre-dawn operation on Monday.
On Tuesday, Gen. Muhoozi announced that he would release Lukwago and hand him over to police.
“My beloved wife Charlotte has convinced me to release the criminal Lukwago. I will release him because of my love for her,” Gen. Muhoozi wrote on X.
In a subsequent post, he added: “Today, I will release this IDIOT to police.”
By Wednesday morning, Lukwago was confirmed to be at Kira Police Station, where he was reportedly recording a statement with investigators. Sources indicated that the process had been ongoing for several hours and that the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) had not yet received a case file relating to him.
Family members, lawyers and supporters gathered outside the police facility throughout the morning seeking access to the detained politician. Among them was Lukwago’s wife, Zawedde Lubwama Lukwago, who was seen waiting outside the station after reportedly being denied entry.
Police later dispersed crowds of journalists, relatives and supporters who had assembled outside the facility. Officers said the gathering was obstructing access to the station by other members of the public.
Despite the confirmation of Lukwago’s whereabouts, questions remain about the legal basis of his detention and whether he will face formal charges.
Lukwago’s arrest sparked widespread criticism from opposition leaders, lawyers and regional legal bodies, who condemned the secrecy surrounding his detention and demanded that authorities either charge him before a competent court or release him.
The Uganda Law Society described the arrest as an attack on the legal profession and the administration of justice, while the East Africa Law Society called for full disclosure of Lukwago’s legal status and respect for the rights of lawyers carrying out their professional duties.
Lukwago, a veteran opposition politician and lawyer, is a member of the legal team representing Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale in an ongoing case involving Gen. Muhoozi. His arrest came shortly after court proceedings in that matter intensified.
As of Wednesday afternoon, police had not issued a formal statement outlining the circumstances of his detention or the offences under investigation. Sources, however, indicated that he could be produced in court at a later stage should investigators decide to prefer charges against him.
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