Some of the released NUP political prisoners have asked fellow party supporters to continue fighting for jailed comrades.
While speaking at the NUP head offices at Kavule on Tuesday, December 3, 2024, the NUP party presented 12 former jailed political prisoners who had a chance to speak before party supporters and the media.
In her speech, Olivia Lutaaya said that the four years in prison was a long time, and many had lost hope and had no option but to accept the sentence.
“We were in prison for a long time, and we know what prison feels like and how it can be. We are out now, but all we are asking for is to continue fighting for those who are still in prison and demand their release because it’s not a good place to be,” she said.
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Ibrahim Wandera, a resident of Mbale, said that those who are angry in public for accepting they had committed crimes they didn’t do should forgive them and help those who are still in prison to come out at all costs.
“Whoever has access to those in prison, tell them to be strong, and if there are those who are angry with us for the decision we made, please forgive us and also try your best to get the remaining comrades out of jail,” he said.
Umar Magala, who was released from jail on December 3, 2024, thanked his family, Prince Kassim Nakibinge, and the NUP comrades for standing with him for the 18 months while in jail and asked to not stop supporting those who need help.
“I want to thank Prince Kassim Nakibinge for fighting for the people who have been wrongly accused; I want to thank the party that has been supporting us and taking care of our families and checking on us every time in prison. Please continue, because as you are aware, there are still many in Kitalya and Luzira for the crimes they didn’t commit,” he noted.
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The NUP party Secretary General, Lewis Rubongoya, said that there is still a need to amplify the campaign to demand the 18 missing persons and the release of all political prisoners.
“We also want to welcome back political prisoners, but we still have so many who are still in jail; we continue to demand the 18 missing persons who were taken away by the regime,” Rubongoya said.
On November 22, 2024, President Museveni pardoned 19 political prisoners who had been in Luzira for over four years for treason and were being tried in the General Court Martial.
