Olivia Lutaaya: NUP’s Unyielding “Foot Soldier” Returns to the Fight for Change After Four Years in Military Custody

The National Unity Platform (NUP) “foot soldier” is back in the trenches, unwavering in her resolve. “I know what I want,” she declares.

A four-year ordeal in military custody would break the political will of many activists, but Olivia Lutaaya appears to be made of sterner stuff—growing stronger with every challenge.

 

The National Unity Platform (NUP) “foot soldier” is back in the trenches, unwavering in her resolve. “I know what I want,” she declares.

However, as Uganda enters an election year, she dismisses speculation that she is eyeing political office.

 

“That is not true. I don’t want any position—I want change,” she says, refuting claims that she plans to contest for Parliament in 2026.

 

Lutaaya became the face of the trials endured by the so-called “NUP 32,” a group of young activists arrested by the military in the aftermath of the contested 2021 general elections.

 

The 33-year-old mother of one was seized from her home in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb, and held incommunicado for weeks before being brought before a military court. Alongside 31 others, she was accused of possessing 13 explosive devices between November 2020 and May 2021 in various locations, including Jinja, Mbale, Kireka, and Kampala.

 

Despite numerous legal attempts to secure their release, the military court consistently denied them bail, disregarding their constitutional rights.

 

After nearly four years in detention, the group gradually succumbed to pressure. In late 2023, they accepted a guilty plea deal, reportedly brokered by Minister Balaam Barugahara, and were subsequently convicted and released last December.

 

Now, free once again, Lutaaya is picking up where she left off—only this time, she is more well-known.

 

“For me, as Olivia Lutaaya, I know what I want. I want change. I won’t stop until we achieve it. I am not scared of anything or anybody,” she asserts.

 

Meanwhile, her fellow detainees have taken different paths. Some have abandoned the struggle, others have joined the ruling NRM party, while nine remain behind bars.

 

“Some have left, some have joined NRM, but others are still standing. And the nine who are still imprisoned remain strong,” she says.

 

With Uganda’s judicial system under scrutiny, Lutaaya questions whether her colleagues will ever receive a fair trial.

 

“In Uganda, you can’t get justice in the court martial. I pray that God helps them,” she says.

 

Despite repeated warnings about the risks she faces, Lutaaya remains undeterred.

 

“People keep telling me, ‘Olivia, you will be killed—stop this.’ But I insist—I know what I want,” she declares.