Former Kampala lord mayor Erias Lukwago has been arrested by operatives of the Special Forces Command (SFC) from his residence in Wakaliga, Rubaga division, Kampala.
Earlier in the morning, Lukwago said his home had been surrounded by the elite military unit as he prepared to take his children to school. He reported seeing multiple vehicles and drone vans parked outside his gate, with both plainclothes and uniformed personnel deployed around the residence.
“I was also stunned to wake up and find two minibuses, commonly known as ‘drones,’ outside my gate. There are people in civilian clothes and others in army uniforms all over the place. I can’t get out of the house,” Lukwago said.
Lukwago added that he had not been informed of the reason for the deployment.
“I don’t know why they are here and what they are looking for. I haven’t spoken to them, and they haven’t spoken to us either,” he said.
Our reporter observed two drone vans and a police patrol vehicle carrying SFC operatives as they moved closer to the residence before some of the officers scaled the perimeter wall and entered the compound.
The arrest comes amid a stalemate in the treason and national security case involving Dr Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale, in which Lukwago serves as lead defence counsel.
The defence team, including Lukwago and Kenyan senior counsel Martha Karua, recently boycotted an evidence review session over access restrictions at Luzira Upper Prison, while the accused persons have also refused to physically attend court proceedings.
The incident at Lukwago’s Wakaliga home also comes as his legal team seeks to serve Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba with High court papers. On Thursday, Justice Emmanuel Baguma gave Gen Muhoozi seven days to respond to a petition filed by Besigye and Lutale over alleged social media threats.
Lukwago confirmed on Friday that the Attorney General had been served, but that Gen Muhoozi, Col Peter Ahimbisibwe and Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga were yet to be served.
The timing of the security deployment has fuelled speculation that it could be linked to the ongoing legal proceedings or signal an impending arrest. However, by press time, neither the police nor the army had issued an official statement regarding the operation.
