Big Story: How Museveni’s State House Phone Call Changed Miria Matembe’s Fate & Released Immediately!

 By Swift Reporter 

The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) has revealed that President Yoweri Museveni personally intervened to seek answers over the detention of former Ethics and Integrity Minister Miria Matembe after learning about her arrest during a meeting with religious leaders.

According to Pastor Joseph Sserwadda, a member of the IRCU, the President appeared unaware that Matembe had been detained when the council raised concerns about recent arrests and alleged human rights violations during a meeting held at State House on Thursday.

Speaking on Sunday, Pastor Sserwadda said Museveni immediately requested his phone and contacted a senior military officer to establish what had happened.

“At the time, he was unaware of the arrest of Mrs. Matembe. He called a soldier to bring him his phone and immediately called a high-ranking army officer to ask what had happened. He did that while we were all seated there,” Sserwadda said.

He explained that the religious leaders deliberately used the phrase “picked up” instead of “arrested” while informing the President that Matembe was also unwell.

“The President wanted to know exactly what she had done because we had not used the word ‘arrest.’ We told him she had been picked up and that she was sick,” Sserwadda added.

The meeting, which began around lunchtime and ended at about 5 p.m., focused on concerns over alleged human rights abuses and what religious leaders described as signs of erosion of Uganda’s democratic gains.

According to Sserwadda, later that same evening Matembe was presented before court, formally charged and subsequently granted bail the following day.

The pastor also disclosed that the IRCU informed President Museveni of its plans to visit opposition politicians currently in detention as part of its pastoral mission.

“We told the President that we intended to visit the different incarcerated opposition politicians. It is part of our pastoral work, and he told us there was no problem,” Sserwadda said.

He defended the council’s engagement with the Head of State, saying the IRCU follows established procedures before commenting on national issues.

“In the IRCU, we have rules that govern the way we speak. We do not just comment on anything,” he said.

The revelations came a day after President Museveni addressed the nation, responding to concerns raised by religious leaders regarding human rights and the rule of law.

In his televised address on Saturday, the President defended recent security operations, saying they were aimed at combating crime, corruption and impunity rather than reversing Uganda’s democratic progress.

He maintained that security agencies were operating within the law because suspects were eventually brought before court and rejected claims that Uganda was reverting to the abuses witnessed under previous regimes.

However, Matembe rejected the President’s remarks, accusing him of trivialising her detention instead of condemning what she described as mistreatment by security agencies.

“As I listened to my brother Museveni’s national address, he made a mockery of me. He even laughed after his son had captured me, disrespected me and mistreated me,” Matembe said on Sunday.

She nevertheless said she had forgiven both the President and his son.

“I forgive him and his son because they do not know what they are doing,” she said.

During his address, Museveni questioned Matembe’s appearance as she entered court, suggesting she had exaggerated her physical condition.

“I could even see my sister Matembe limping into the court. I was worried. But she forgot to limp when she was leaving the court. She walked. She had forgotten to repeat the scene,” the President said.