NUP’S Bobi Wine Raises Alarm Over Machete’s Health After Four Years of Detention

Machete, who has reportedly been held incommunicado for four years, was transferred from Kitalya to Luzira Murchison Bay Prison after refusing to eat for seven days in protest against his detention in a military facility.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) president, Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, has visited his detained supporter, Yasin ‘Machete’ Ssekitoleko, at Luzira Prison, raising alarm over his deteriorating health.

Machete, who has reportedly been held incommunicado for four years, was transferred from Kitalya to Luzira Murchison Bay Prison after refusing to eat for seven days in protest against his detention in a military facility.

Kyagulanyi, accompanied by Machete’s mother, Aisha Kabanda, arrived at Luzira Main Gate at 11am to check on him following reports of his worsening condition.

While prison authorities allowed him and the family access, media crews were barred from entering.

Speaking after the visit, Kyagulanyi said Machete was in critical condition due to his hunger strike.

“Machete continues to face difficult health conditions arising from his failure to eat. He is weak, but he remains resolute in his demand for justice,” he said.

He explained that Machete’s mother had sought his help after failing to persuade her son to eat.

“She is extremely worried. She has tried to convince him to take food, but he insists he will not eat until his case is handled fairly,” Kyagulanyi added.

The opposition leader urged the government to uphold a High Court ruling that civilians should not be tried in military courts.

“We demand that the regime obeys the court ruling and stops subjecting civilians to military trials. Machete and many others have suffered because of this injustice,” he stated.

Machete’s mother lamented her son’s prolonged detention. “My son has been in jail for nearly four years. He refused to accept the charges imposed on him, yet his colleagues who faced similar accusations were set free. This is not fair,” she said.

Efforts to get a response from prison authorities were unsuccessful, as Uganda Prisons spokesperson Frank Baine declined to comment.

Machete was initially remanded at Kitalya Prison before being transferred to Luzira after falling ill.

His family continues to push for his trial in a civilian court, as directed by the High Court, amid growing concerns about his health.