‘I Am Condemned To Death If Nothing Is Done,’ Lukwago Tells Court Amid Plea For Urgent Medical Evacuation

By Swift Reporter

Former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago made an emotional appeal before court on Tuesday, saying his life is in imminent danger unless he is urgently allowed to travel to India for specialized medical treatment.

Addressing the court during proceedings, Lukwago said a team of five senior consultants at Mulago National Referral Hospital had diagnosed him with multiple chronic health conditions, some of which require urgent intervention beyond the hospital’s capacity.

Holding up a medical report dated June 30, 2026, and addressed to the Chief Magistrate, Lukwago told court that the assessment was conducted under the direction of Mulago Executive Director Dr. Rose Byanyima following a week of specialized examinations and treatment.

According to Lukwago, the report identifies five serious chronic conditions, including respiratory complications, spinal injuries, irreversible ear disorders, gastrointestinal disease, and hypertension.

“My life is in danger if these conditions are not attended to,” he told court.

Lukwago said doctors recommended that he urgently return to India, where he underwent cervical spine surgery in April 2024, after fresh examinations revealed persistent complications related to the procedure.

He explained that Mulago specialists were unable to perform certain MRI investigations because they could not confirm the compatibility of the artificial disc implanted during the surgery.

“They recommended that I should be reviewed by my primary spine surgeons in India. I need to be in India now if my life is to be saved,” Lukwago said.

He added that he continues to experience severe nerve pain despite being placed on medication to manage his condition.

Breathing Difficulties & Prison Conditions

The ex Lord Mayor also told court that he suffers from permanent lung damage, which causes frequent breathlessness and requires him to remain in a well-ventilated environment.

He recounted struggling to breathe while addressing court, saying the closed courtroom aggravated his condition.

“I was gasping for air because the windows had been closed and I was not breathing well,” he said.

According to Lukwago, pulmonologists advised that he should always stay in well-ventilated surroundings, a recommendation he argued cannot be adequately met in prison.

Lukwago further disclosed that doctors diagnosed him with irreversible ear conditions affecting his hearing and balance.

He said he had been relying on a specialized hearing therapy device obtained from the United Kingdom after months of assessment, but claimed the equipment was dismantled by prison authorities over security concerns following his arrest.

Without the device, Lukwago said he has been unable to sleep and now depends on increasingly strong sedatives, which doctors have warned cannot be used indefinitely because of their health risks.

“I’ve reached a point where even the sedatives no longer work. I sleep for only one or two hours before remaining awake until morning,” he said.

Lukwago also informed court that he has been diagnosed with a hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), conditions he said expose him to a heightened risk of developing oesophageal cancer if left untreated.

He explained that specialists had recommended surgery, while in the meantime prescribing a strict diet and medication to control acid reflux.

However, Lukwago argued that the dietary requirements cannot be maintained under prison conditions, leaving medication as only a temporary solution.

In addition, he said his longstanding hypertension has become increasingly difficult to manage because of the combined impact of his other illnesses.

Lukwago told court that different specialists had recommended varying sleeping positions and living conditions depending on each illness, making effective treatment difficult while in custody.

Orthopaedic specialists, he said, recommended a firm mattress, cardiologists advised elevating his legs to improve circulation, gastroenterologists instructed him to sleep with his upper body raised to reduce acid reflux, while respiratory specialists emphasized the need for constant ventilation.

He argued that these medical requirements cannot be adequately accommodated in prison.

Emotional Plea

Concluding his address, Lukwago made an emotional appeal to the court, saying he feared he had effectively been handed a death sentence if no urgent intervention is made.

“In a nutshell, I am condemned to death if no rescue is made to address my situation as advised by the consultants from Mulago Hospital,” he said.

“If I am to die, I pray that God takes me without a lot of pain. I know all of us will die one day, but I would not want to die a painful death.”

The court is expected to consider the medical report and submissions from both the defence and prosecution before making a determination on the requests arising from Lukwago’s health concerns.