NUP’s Johnmary Ssebuwufu Granted Bail

The Nakawa Chief Magistrate’s Court has granted bail to Nakawa I Councillor and National Unity Platform (NUP) member Johnmary Ssebuwufu, who has been in detention for more than two months on charges of inciting violence. Ssebuwufu was arrested on January 14th, 2026, in the aftermath of the general elections and was later arraigned in court on February 6th, after reportedly being held incommunicado and in unknown detention by the security forces.

Since then, he has been on remand at Luzira Prison as police investigations into the case continued. Through his lawyers, Samuel Muyizzi Mulindwa and Jude Byamukama, Ssebuwufu made several attempts to secure bail, but these were unsuccessful after the prosecution, led by State Attorney Mahatma Odongo, repeatedly informed the court that investigations were incomplete and requested more time to respond to his application.

But in the previous session, Ssebuwufu’s lawyers told the trial magistrate, Grade One, Sanula Namboozo, that his continued detention without concluded investigations was unjustified. The defence maintained that bail is a constitutional right and that Ssebuwufu is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

They also told the court that Ssebuwufu plays significant community roles, including serving as an elected councillor, a church leader at St. Andrea Kaggwa Parish in Kigoowa, and an official in the NUP Electoral Commission, arguing that his continued incarceration was affecting the people who depend on him.

The court also heard that Ssebuwufu is married with seven children to look after, who all depend on him as their father, and that he has substantial sureties and a fixed place of residence in Kyanja, which falls in the jurisdiction of Nakawa Court. As a result, Ssebuwufu renewed his bail application, and the ruling was delivered today.

In her ruling, Magistrate Namboozo has released him on a cash bail of 500,000 shillings, while his sureties have each been ordered to execute a sh. 5 million non-cash bond. As part of the bail conditions, Ssebuwufu has been ordered to deposit his passport with the court and to submit his National Identification Card on the Electronic Court Case Management Information System (ECCMIS), which is the online system of the Judiciary for verification.

This was because the magistrate had ruled that Ssebuwufu failed to present his national ID during the hearing of his bail application. But Ssebuwufu indicates that he lost the National ID during his arrest process. The court has further warned that in case of failure to return for subsequent proceedings, he will pay a penalty of 10 million shillings.

Meanwhile, the Prosecution’s Odongo maintained that investigations are still ongoing and that the state’s progress depends on police inquiries. The court then directed the prosecution to expedite investigations to ensure the timely disposal of the case. The matter has been adjourned to April 7, 2026, for further mention.

Ssebuwufu is among several NUP leaders and supporters who were arrested around the January 2026 general elections. While some have since been released on bail, like NUP Vice Presidents Dr Lina Zedriga and Jolly Tukamushaba for Northern Uganda and Western Uganda, respectively, others, like Vice President for Central Region MP Muwanga Kivumbi, who is facing terrorism charges, and more than 20 others, including Edward Ssebuwufu, aka Eddie Mutwe, Olivia Lutaaya; Saudah Madaada; and Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, remain on remand facing charges related to carrying out an illegal military-like parade.