Frail Erias Lukwago Committed to High Court Over Treason Charges

The legal and political battles surrounding the leadership of the newly formed People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) escalated on Thursday, July 16, 2026, as former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago was formally committed to the High Court for trial.

Lukwago appeared physically before the Makindye Chief Magistrate’s Court under heavy security, looking visibly weak and frail. The court session saw prosecutors wrap up the committal proceedings for a charge of misprision of treason, paving the way for a high-profile trial that opposition leaders describe as a politically motivated crackdown.

Lukwago had missed his scheduled court appearance the previous week due to severe illness. On Thursday, his legal team, led by Busiro East Member of Parliament Medard Lubega Ssegona, repeatedly expressed deep concern over their client’s rapidly deteriorating physical condition, arguing that the political leader is in no state to endure prolonged detention.

Severe Health Complications and Denied Medical Travel

Throughout the brief court session presided over by Chief Magistrate Sarah Basemera, Lukwago remained noticeably weak, requiring physical support at various intervals.

Ssegona renewed an urgent plea to the judiciary to facilitate specialized medical attention for the former Lord Mayor. According to his defense team, Lukwago is currently battling a complex combination of health issues, including:

 • Critical complications stemming from a previous complex spinal surgery.

 • Severe hypertension and chronic respiratory difficulties.

 • Acute acid reflux and severe, balance-related physical impairments.

The defense maintains that Lukwago requires immediate, specialized neuro-spinal treatment in India, asserting that his complex medical needs cannot be adequately met within local state holding facilities. While the court had previously ordered a formal medical assessment by Mulago National Referral Hospital, the defense argues that bureaucratic delays are putting Lukwago’s life at immediate risk.

The emotional toll of the trial was laid bare just a day prior, on Wednesday, when Lukwago’s family hosted special Duwa prayers at his private residence in Wakaliga, Kampala. During the prayers, his wife, Zawedde Lubwama, made an emotional public appeal to security agencies and the judiciary to allow her husband to travel abroad for lifesaving treatment.

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The formal charge of misprision of treason, governed under Section 25 of the Penal Code Act, involves knowingly concealing information regarding an ongoing plot to commit treason and failing to report it to authorities within a reasonable timeframe.

According to the summary of evidence presented by the state prosecution, Lukwago, in his capacity as a high-ranking leader of the PFF, was fully aware of coordinated efforts by senior party figures to overthrow the Government of Uganda by force of arms but intentionally withheld this information from security forces.

The state’s case is deeply tied to the ongoing prosecution of PFF founder Dr. Kizza Besigye and his associate Hajj Obeid Lutale, who were arrested in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024. The prosecution alleges the following timeline and details:

 Late September 2024: Dr. Besigye allegedly utilized WhatsApp to coordinate with an individual identified in court documents as “AW” to organize a high-level meeting in Nairobi with a suspected Kurdish contact. The state plans to present full forensic extractions of these chat logs during the High Court trial.

 November 16, 2024: Besigye, Lutale, AW, and the Kurdish contact allegedly met at Riverside Apartments in Nairobi. The state claims Besigye introduced Lutale as his personal assistant and participant in a plan to overthrow the Ugandan government. Prosecutors allege Besigye went as far as requesting surface-to-air missiles and heavy weaponry capable of shooting down aircraft and military helicopters.

 November 17, 2024: Besigye and Lutale were intercepted at the Malaba border crossing and handed over to Ugandan military intelligence along with physical exhibits, including mobile phones, firearms, and ammunition.

 The Lukwago Connection: The state asserts that Lukwago was fully briefed on these travels, meetings, and weapon requests. Furthermore, the prosecution claims Lukwago knew that other political associates, including Joel Wakaima and Frank Herrera Kolda, had approached “AW” to seek active assistance for the rebellion but chose to remain silent.

A critical pillar of the state’s evidence rests on the testimony of “AW,” who is described as a highly placed covert intelligence source. AW reportedly recorded several of the secret planning meetings in Nairobi using hidden audio-visual devices before handing the physical memory drives over to state security.

The legal path to Thursday’s committal has been highly contentious. Dr. Besigye and Hajj Obeid Lutale were initially arraigned before the General Court Martial in Makindye. However, following a landmark Supreme Court ruling that declared the trial of civilians in military courts unconstitutional, the case was transferred back to the civil Uganda Police Force.

This jurisdictional shift triggered fresh civilian investigations in February 2025, culminating in the formal civilian treason charges against Besigye, Lutale, and Captain Owelale Shoya, alongside the misprision charges now leveled against Lukwago.

Lukwago has strongly denied all allegations, branding them a judicial theater designed to cripple the leadership of the People’s Front for Freedom ahead of upcoming political transitions. With the committal process successfully completed, his file has been forwarded to the High Court registry, where a trial date is expected to be scheduled soon.