A prominent Ugandan lawyer and opposition figure, Erias Lukwago, has been charged with a treason-related offence days after being arrested by security forces, in a case that has intensified political tensions in the country.
Lukwago, a former Kampala mayor and senior opposition politician, was charged with “misprision of treason” — an allegation that he failed to report an act of treason to authorities. He appeared in court on Wednesday, where he denied the charge and was remanded in custody.
He is part of the legal team representing detained opposition leader Kizza Besigye in a treason trial, as well as in a separate case involving Uganda’s military chief, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, over alleged death threats posted on social media.
The arrest has drawn concern from opposition circles, with Ugandan pop star-turned-politician Bobi Wine, currently in exile in the United States, alleging that Lukwago was seized by soldiers while attempting to serve a court summons on the military chief.
Ugandan military and police authorities have not publicly commented on the allegations.
Outside the courtroom, Lukwago’s lawyer told journalists that he had collapsed in detention after being subjected to intense physical drills while in custody, raising further concerns about his treatment.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the son of President Yoweri Museveni, has been a controversial figure in Ugandan politics due to his outspoken and often incendiary social media posts. Following Lukwago’s arrest, he posted on X that he was “proud of ALL the hurt and pain” he would inflict on the lawyer.
Kainerugaba has previously made threats against opposition figures, including Besigye and Bobi Wine, who fled Uganda after this year’s disputed election that extended Museveni’s nearly four-decade rule.
President Museveni, 81, secured another term in the January election, which opposition groups and international observers have described as heavily contested.
The latest developments have raised fresh questions about the independence of Uganda’s judiciary, the role of the military in civilian affairs, and the shrinking space for political opposition in the country.
As Lukwago remains in custody, legal observers and rights groups are closely monitoring the case, warning that it could further escalate tensions between the government and opposition forces.
