Treason Drama: Ugandan Lawyer Arrested, Army Chief Boasts

Sat Jun 20 2026 08:34:47 GMT+0000 (Coordinated Universal Time)

When a lawyer for a jailed opposition leader faces treason charges, the army chief turns the arrest into a social media brag. A clash of power, press and politics unfolds in Uganda.

Erias Lukwago, the lawyer who has defended long‑time opposition figure Kizza Besigye, was arrested and charged with a treason‑related offence after months of public scrutiny. The arrest, publicized by army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba on X, sparked condemnation across social networks. Lukwago denied the national‑security accusations and was remanded to prison until his court hearing next week. Besigye himself, a political rival of President Museveni, faces a long‑term detainment that raises questions about political repression in Uganda.

Police in Kampala arrested Erias Lukwago, a lawyer who has been defending Kizza Besigye, a veteran opposition leader facing a treason trial. Lukwago is now charged with an offence linked to treason, a serious accusation that carries severe penalties.

Why does this matter? Besigye, once a close confidant of President Museveni, has fought many political battles and is currently in jail after being detoured from Kenya back to Uganda. The case shows how the government is tightening its control on dissent.

Shortly after Lukwago’s arrest, army chief Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba celebrated the event on X, posting photos that appeared to show the lawyer blindfolded. The post sparked outrage from civil‑society groups and critics of the military’s involvement in politics.

Bobi Wine, a former opposition leader who fled Uganda in 2024, called on supporters to “reject and resist this brazen impunity,” adding his own warnings about the criminality of an army chief boasting on social media.

Lukwago’s family stepped in court, demanding that security personnel disclose his location and secure his release, no matter if he was “dead or alive.” They claimed Kainerugaba admitted responsibility for the seizure in a post on X.

The legal backdrop: Besigye is on trial for treason following his forced return from Kenya last year, and Lukwago’s charges could tie into the same national‑security narrative pushed by the government.