Magistrate’s Absence Delays Zedriga’s Case Again

The hearing of the case involving Dr. Lina Zedriga Waru, the acting president of the National Unity Platform (NUP), failed to proceed on Tuesday as scheduled due to the absence of the chief magistrate and has been adjourned to April 23, 2026. Dr. Zedriga, 64, appeared Tuesday morning at the Gulu Chief Magistrate’s Court, where her case—in which she faces charges of incitement to violence—was scheduled for mention.

She was released on bail by the same court on February 24, nearly a month after her alleged abduction from her home in Kampala on January 16. Accompanied by her lawyer, Beatrice Barbra Nyakiru, Zedriga joined several other litigants who had turned up expecting their cases to be heard. However, at about 10 a.m., a court clerk announced new dates for multiple cases, citing the absence of judicial officers due to an ongoing training in Kampala.

The clerk further noted that Chief Magistrate Augustine Alule Koma, who is handling Zedriga’s case, was away conducting criminal sessions in Adjumani District and is expected back on April 27. The postponement drew criticism from defense lawyer Oscar Kizza, who expressed frustration over the lack of prior notice.

“There was no notice. The court didn’t tell us they were not sitting today. This seems to be a national program, but our only problem is that they didn’t inform us,” Kizza said. He added that prior communication would have helped lawyers who traveled long distances avoid unnecessary costs. The state prosecution was expected to update the court on the progress of investigations into Dr. Zedriga’s case. However, the lead prosecutor, Patricia Edyedo, was also absent. Zedriga is charged under Section 79(1) of the Penal Code Act for allegedly inciting violence in Amuru, Nwoya, Omoro, and Gulu districts, as well as Gulu City, in December last year.

The former magistrate assumed the role of acting president of the National Unity Platform in mid-March after the party leader, Robert Ssentamu Kyagulanyi, appointed her before leaving the country. Kyagulanyi, a musician-turned-politician and two-time presidential candidate, finished second in the disputed 2026 general elections won by Yoweri Museveni, extending his decades-long rule.