SFC Picks Up Former Kampala Mayor Elias Lukwago

The Special Forces Command (SFC) has picked up former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago after officers allegedly scaled the perimeter wall of his residence in Wakaliga this morning. Earlier in the morning, Lukwago said his home was under siege by the elite unit as he prepared to take his children to school.

He reported seeing multiple vehicles and drones outside his gate, with both plainclothes and uniformed personnel deployed around the residence. 

“I was also stunned to wake up and find two minibuses, commonly known as ‘drones,’ outside my gate. There are people in civilian clothes and others in army uniforms all over the place. I can’t get out of the house,” Lukwago said. Lukwago added that he had not been informed of the reason for the deployment. “I don’t know why they are here and what they are looking for. I haven’t spoken to them, and they haven’t spoken to us either,” he said. 

Reporters saw two minibuses and a police patrol vehicle carrying operatives from the Special Forces Command as they moved closer to the residence before some operatives entered the compound. The arrest comes amid a stalemate in the treason and national security case involving Dr Kizza Besigye and co-accused Hajji Obeid Lutale, in which Lukwago serves as lead defence counsel. 

The defence team, including Lukwago and Martha Karua, recently boycotted an evidence-review session over access restrictions at Luzira Upper Prison, while the accused persons have also refused to attend court physically. The incident at Lukwago’s Wakaliga home also comes as his legal team has been attempting to serve Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba with High Court papers. 

On Thursday last week, Justice Emmanuel Baguma gave Gen Muhoozi seven days to respond to a petition filed by Dr Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale over alleged social media threats. Lukwago confirmed on Friday that the Attorney General had been served, but that Gen Muhoozi, Col Peter Ahimbisibwe, and Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga were yet to be served. The timing of the security deployment has raised speculation that it may be linked to the ongoing legal proceedings or could signal an impending arrest. 

However, neither the police nor the army had issued an official statement on the operation.