Male Deogratius : Judge Lydia Mugambe’s conviction in the UK

Dear Ugandan Policymakers, CEOs, Managers, and all those wielding power,

The conviction of Judge Lydia Mugambe in the UK should be more than just a headline—it should serve as a stark wake-up call. Mugambe, a judge of international standing, conspired with Uganda’s former deputy high commissioner in London to traffic a young Ugandan woman under false pretenses. She stripped the woman of her freedom and dignity, confiscated her passport, and forced her into unpaid servitude. Mugambe wielded her power like a weapon, believing she was untouchable—until the British justice system held her accountable.

But let’s not pretend that Mugambe’s crime is an isolated incident. If Uganda’s legal system operated with the same rigor, how many of you—privileged and powerful—would face similar consequences?

For years, Uganda’s so-called ‘middle class’ has thrived on the exploitation of the vulnerable, masking their cruelty behind polished accents and respectable job titles. How many domestic workers go months without pay? How many civil servants are denied their salaries while their superiors embezzle public funds with impunity? How different are these actions from what Mugambe did? She enslaved one woman. You enslave hundreds through unpaid wages, unfulfilled contracts, and the silent cruelty of neglect.

And what of the thousands of young Ugandan women trafficked into modern-day slavery under the guise of ‘foreign employment’? Every year, countless women are lured to the Middle East with promises of prosperity, only to be beaten, overworked, and sometimes returned home in body bags. The agencies facilitating this trade operate with full licenses, often endorsed by government institutions that turn a blind eye. How many of you in government, recruitment agencies, or foreign affairs have signed off on these ‘opportunities,’ knowing they are death sentences? If Mugambe’s actions warranted a prison sentence, then so do yours.

Then there is the daily carnage on our roads, where boda boda accidents claim thousands of lives due to weak regulation and corruption. Who enforces road safety laws? Who ensures hospitals are equipped to save accident victims? The answer is simple: no one in power cares—until they themselves are affected. When a minister or CEO is in need, they board the next flight to Nairobi, India, or Europe, leaving ordinary Ugandans to die in underfunded hospitals.

Let’s not forget the government workers who labor tirelessly, only to wait months—or even years—for their pay while those at the top live lavishly. Civil servants, health workers, and teachers struggle to survive, while their bosses are shielded by political patronage and amass wealth. A judge in the UK was convicted for denying wages to one person. How then do we describe an entire system that does the same to thousands?

Perhaps the most chilling reminder of the consequences of exploitation came in 2021, when a government minister was allegedly shot dead by his own driver—a man he had reportedly mistreated for years. Power does not insulate you forever. The Mugambe case proves that. The minister’s death proves that. You may believe you are safe because Uganda’s justice system is weak, but you are merely convicts of conscience, living on borrowed time.

So, I ask you: when will you change? When will you stop seeing human lives as disposable? Will you wait until your name is in the headlines, or will you act before justice finds you? The time for reflection is now. Because one day, justice will not come from the courts, but from the very people you have wronged. And when that day comes, no wealth or status will save you.

The choice is yours. Act now, or face the consequences later. Justice, delayed or not, will find you.