Former Kampala lord mayor Erias Lukwago was reportedly picked by operatives of the Special Forces Command from his residence in Wakaliga, within, Kampala. Before he wa forcefully kidnapped, Lukwago disclosed on social media that his home had been surrounded by uniformed army personnel and others in plain clothes.
The Lawyer also confirmed that he had woken up only to find two minibuses, commonly known as ‘drones,’ outside his gate. He also said he was not informed of the reason for the deployment. Some of the soldiers later jumped over the fence to access the compound. The reasons for the intrusion and eventual kidnap remained scanty.
Observers believe the timing of the early morning incident could be linked to the recent court summons in which Kiza Besigye and Obed Lutale dragged the Chief of Defence Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Col Peter Ahimbisibwe and Lt Col Ephraim Byaruhanga to court hence the need to serve them with court process. Lukwago appears to have been the engine behind the push to have Muhoozi served with the summons.
As usual, we have abandoned the bigger picture, focusing our attention on establishing why Lukwago was arrested, who ordered for his arrest and where he is being held. We have failed to ponder what Lukwago’s arrest means for constitutionalism and the rule of law in a polarized society sunk in deep distrust and hostility. His case is not isolated; it is a precursor.
Having realized that Besigye’s case is a none starter, I will not be shocked if the indictment is amended to have Lukwago added as a party to the treason trial pending before justice Baguma. It is also possible that Martha Karua could be denied entry into Uganda effectively denying Besigye and Lutale a right to representation by lawyers of their choice.
For those who are blaming Lukwago, may your day come soon but for those who are lamenting, wake up, cursing the regime will not change anything. Lamenting while taking no action often stems from neurobiological pessimism, where the brain avoids the hope of change to evade further disappointment. This cycle creates a trap where complaining provides temporary relief, but paralyzes one from tackling the underlying issue.
What crime did Lukwago commit by acting on the instructions of his client to file an application based on the human rights enforcement Act? Is the first son so paranoid and above the law to the extent that dragging him to court is Sacrilegious? Was abducting Lukwago and later bragging about it on social media the best way to treat a man only doing his work?
I pity those who are laughing at Lukwago, freedoms and safety in Uganda are slowly but surely becoming elusive. What is happening reflects the philosophical and political idea of collective responsibility or civil solidarity, where an injustice or arbitrary seizure of one person should be viewed as an infringement on the rights and safety of everyone else.
If it is true the CDF is the person behind Lukwago’s predicament, we should start questioning President Museveni’s love for Uganda. Is this his desired successor? If a standby generator can behave like this before assuming office, what can he do when he is the alpha and the omega. Is this what a leader does to people he does not agree with? Cry my beloved country.
I hope my readers have read the famous confessional poem “First They Came” by German Pastor Martin Niemöller. It is a powerful historical commentary warning against the dangers of political apathy, indifference, and failing to stand up for the plight of others. Then they came for me and there was no one left to speak for me.
Niemöller wrote the poem to reflect on his own initial silence and the failure of German intellectuals and the church to oppose the rise of the Nazi regime in the 1930s. The verses underscore the moral connectedness of all people, highlighting that when a person’s rights are stripped away, it paves the way for the erosion of everyone’s rights.
The quote expresses Niemöller’s belief that Germans had been complicit through their silence in the arbitrary arrests, persecution, imprisonment, prosecution, and murder of millions of people. He felt this was especially true of the leaders of the Protestant churches, which were made up of Lutheran, Reformed, and United traditions of those times.
Last week, I saw leaders of the Ugandan law society standing in solidarity with intern doctors, I was impressed. Now it is a lawyer in trouble and guess what, the doctors, Teachers, Engineers, Architects, Surveyors, social workers, Accountants, business community, the Politicians, the Katikiro of Buganda, the Muslims community among other are all quiet.
If indeed Lukwago had any case to answer, the right procedure should have been to summon him to appear before police. Being a prominent opposition figure, a former Member of Parliament, a veteran lawyer and a man who served as Kampala Lord Mayor for 15 years, abducting him like a chicken thief and moreover by the army is unacceptable.
It is embarrassing that despite the army usurping the powers of the Police, their mouth piece is not ashamed to look into the camera to call the army a sister security agency. How can sister agency carry out an operation and even arrest somebody without the knowledge of an institution mandated by law to carry out such arrests?
It remains unclear whether Lukwago will be handed over to the police with his physical and emotional injuries to have him prosecuted or they will simply drive and dump him at some conspicuous place. Will the trial judge eventually say the application should be dismissed for none service of court process.
The writer, Rogers Wadada, is a commentator on political, legal and social issues. wadroger@yahoo.ca
