Kawempe Chief Magistrate’s court has declined to grant temporary bail to opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy spokesperson Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro to attend the burial of his wife, Edith Katende Mufumbiro.
Mufumbiro, who is currently on remand, faces charges of allegedly inciting NUP youth to attack security personnel and participating in unlawful military-style drills, offences the prosecution says threaten public order and national security.
His wife passed away on Wednesday after a long battle with breast cancer. Through his legal team, Mufumbiro had petitioned the court for a brief release to enable him to attend her burial scheduled for Saturday in Luuka district.
However, in a ruling delivered Friday via a virtual court session, Chief Magistrate Doreen Ainembabazi dismissed the application, citing public interest concerns and the gravity of the charges, according to his lawyer Kato Tumusiime.
The court also found his sureties insufficient. These included Mufumbiro’s father, Moses Baligeya, a retired magistrate, and Nakawa East MP and Kampala lord mayor-elect Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga.
In her ruling, Ainembabazi emphasised that the offences carry a maximum sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment upon conviction. She further noted that the seriousness of the charges increased the likelihood of the accused absconding if temporarily released.
Tension flared shortly after the ruling when defence lawyers staged a walkout in protest. The lawyers declined to participate in subsequent proceedings before grade one magistrate Damalie Agumaasiimwe, who was scheduled to deliver a separate bail ruling involving 14 other NUP supporters facing similar charges.
According to Tumusiime, the protest was triggered by authorities’ failure to produce the accused physically in court, raising concerns about their right to a fair hearing and adequate legal representation.
