The leaders of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) have condemned the arrest of Erias Lukwago, the interim party President and leading counsel in the ongoing treason case involving the party leader, Dr. Kizza Besigye.
According to Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the spokesperson of the PFF party, Lukwago was forcefully arrested this morning from his residential home in Wakaliga by armed security operatives and taken to an unknown destination.
While addressing journalists on Monday, June 15th, 2026, at the PFF party headquarters on Katonga Road in Kampala, Ssemuju alleged that security operatives arrested Lukwago on the orders of Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, who is also the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF).
“We have all the reasons to believe that Lukwago has been arrested by the CDF because he had filed several applications since Besigye was arrested in Nairobi, including that on human rights enforcement, which Justice Baguma endorsed for hearing on June 30th, 2026, at the High Court,” Ssemuju said.
He added that in the application, Besigye appealed to the court to deal with the CDF and his counterparts who allegedly arrested him and his colleague violently.
However, according to Lulume Bayiga, the Deputy Party President in charge of Buganda, Lukwago’s arrest will not intimidate the party members to pursue justice for Besigye and other political prisoners, adding that the security will not arrest all of them.
“So those behind Lukwago’s arrest should know that they are not going to intimidate Ugandans and finish them all because one leader will go and others will come up until we find ourselves in the way of the freedom we want, and the sooner they realize the better,” Lulume said.
According to Lulume, the CDF is not above the law and must appear before the court when summoned. He also condemned the forceful arrest of Lukwago, calling upon other civil societies and government entities, including the Uganda Law Society, Parliament, and the Ministry of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, to condemn such acts.
Lukwago has been serving as the co-lead defence counsel alongside Kenyan human rights advocate Martha Karua in the high-profile treason case involving veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye. The case stems from allegations that Besigye, Hajj Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya, and Captain Denis Oola plotted to overthrow the Ugandan government by force of arms.
