Olivia Lutaaya and 27 Co-Defendants Back in Court Today

Today comrade Olivia Lutaaya, 32, and a mother of two will alongside 27 other comrades be arraigned before the military court to hear their bail application. They’ve spent 1,112 days on remand at Kitalya and Luzira prisons where they are enduring political persecution with the military court acting as an enabler of injustice.

Their most recent bail application which was the 5th attempt on April 15th, 2024 was thwarted by the military court despite the fact that we had deployed credible leaders including the Leader of our Parliamentary front Rt. Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi and other MPs to stand surety for our comrades. Court instead decided to obstruct bail citing the absence of place of abode, yet our comrades were actually abducted from their addresses 3 years back in 2021.

When comrade Sanya Kakooza peacefully protested the prosecution cum-persecution, he was violently dragged out of the courtroom and beaten up by some military soldiers right in front of cameras that captured the scenes as he was dragged to a mobile prison van parked in the court compound. Sanya was suspended in space and painfully dragged by red top soldiers who held him by his limbs. The heinous scene was confidently defended by the army spokesperson Brig. Gen. Felix Kulayigye who in his own words justified the actions of the army and said they did right to brutalize Sanya for allegedly acting contemptuous in court.

Comrade Sanya maintained that he would not relent no matter the torment he is undergoing.

“We won’t beg Museveni for our freedom. It’s okay if you want to kill us for trying to fight for our country. You arrested us for trying to protect Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu’s votes. Now you expect us to beg for our freedom. We won’t relent,” he maintained.

Our leaders condemned the military for the terror meted out on comrade Sanya and other comrades whose rights are always violated inside the courtroom. It is of no wonder that the trials are closed circuit without any media house granted rights to cover the proceedings.

Meanwhile, only four comrades out of the 32 were granted bail and they are; Ronald Mayiga, Richard Nyombi, Kenneth Kamya, and Shafique Ngobi and the basis was substantial sureties, fixed place of abode and ability not to interfere with the case, according to a ruling given by the court martial judge Brig. Gen. Robert Freeman Mugabe.

Our comrades who are denied bail include Olivia Lutaaya, Yasin Ssekitoleko aka Machete, Robert Christopher Rugumayo, Muhydin Kakooza Sanya, Patrick Mwase, Abdu Matovu, Ronald Kijambo, Sharif Kalanzi, Joseph Muwonge, Mesach Kiwanuka, Abdullah Kintu, Umar Emma Kati, and Musa Kavuma.