Kampala. Former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has been charged with misprision of treason, placing him in the unusual position of facing an offence linked to clients he has been representing.
Lukwago was charged on Wednesday, two days after armed men took him from his home in Wakaliga, Rubaga Division, Kampala.
Misprision of treason means knowing that someone has committed or intends to commit treason and deliberately failing to report that information to authorities.
Unlike treason, which involves active participation in acts against the State, misprision focuses on concealment or silence where the law requires disclosure.
Prosecution Claims Lukwago Failed to Report Treason Plans
Prosecutors claim that between 2021 and November 2024, Lukwago knew that Dr Kizza Besigye, Joel Wakayima, Frank Kihehere Atukunda and Obeid Lutale intended to commit treason.
They allege that he failed to report the information to the relevant authorities.
The charge links Lukwago to a wider treason case involving Dr Besigye and Lutale, two of the clients he has been representing.
Witness Statement Mentions Lukwago Once
A review of witness statements so far disclosed in the Besigye treason case shows that Lukwago’s name appears once.
The reference appears in the police statement of Andrew Wilson, also known as Orlando.
Wilson is an American national who claims to operate a company involved in investigations and tactical firearms training.
In his statement to investigators, Wilson describes alleged interactions with Wakayima, opposition politician Salaam Musumba and later Dr Besigye.
Wilson claims that after Wakayima introduced him to Musumba, they discussed plans that included training individuals in journalism and covert communications.
He says the proposed training was intended to help gather intelligence on government officials and supporters.
Brussels Meeting Proposal
Lukwago’s name appears in Wilson’s account of a proposed meeting in Brussels.
According to Wilson, Musumba suggested holding the meeting and said she intended to invite several people.
Those named included Lukwago, former Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, Lubega Mukaku and political analyst Charles Rwomushana.
“Salaam then requested Joel Wakayima to put me in contact with Dr Besigye, which Joel did. Indeed, on a date I cannot recall, we had an online meeting with Dr Besigye, which led to a physical meeting a few weeks later in Geneva, Switzerland,” Wilson avers in his police statement.
Wilson adds: “In my first physical meeting with Dr Besigye, he asked me to help him to set up militant networks in Uganda to cause destabilisation of the country. Here, I met Dr Kizza Besigye with Joel Wakayima and Frank Kihehere Atukunda. I booked and paid for Dr Kizza Besigye’s flight from Entebbe to Geneva as he had requested.”
Statement Does Not Allege Lukwago Attended Meeting
Wilson’s police statement does not indicate that the proposed Brussels meeting took place.
It also does not allege that Lukwago attended any meeting with Wilson.
The statement does not claim that Lukwago took part in discussions about militant activity, intelligence gathering or efforts to destabilise the government.
The allegations about militant networks appear later in Wilson’s statement.
They relate to a separate meeting Wilson says took place in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to the statement, that meeting involved Dr Besigye, Wakayima and Atukunda.
Lukwago is not mentioned as having attended the Geneva meeting.