By Aggrey Baba
People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) senior leader Salaam Musumba has dismissed rumours that she fled Uganda for fear of arrest over her alleged links to the treason case involving jailed opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye and his associates.
Musumba, who is currently in London, told Mulengera News that there was nothing unusual about her presence in the United Kingdom, saying she has been travelling there regularly since 1988 and had no reason to flee her own country.
“I travelled to London as I always do since 1988. I have not fled. I am not aware of any cause for fleeing,” Musumba said in a WhatsApp exchange with Mulengera News.
She added tha “country being ran by the rumor mill is indeed a DECAYED one.”
Her response comes after weeks of speculation on social media and in political circles that the veteran opposition politician had quietly left Uganda after her name surfaced in the prosecution’s evidence in the ongoing treason proceedings involving Dr Besigye.
Salaam Musumba’s name has indeed featured in the case, although the allegations against her remain claims by the prosecution and have not been tested against her in court.
The State has alleged that Musumba was involved in discussions surrounding an alleged plan to destabilize and overthrow the government. In evidence presented in court, American national Andrew Wilson claimed that he interacted with Musumba after being introduced to her through Joel Wakayima.
Wilson has recently been testifying in the case and, according to reports from the proceedings, alleged that discussions with Musumba involved Ugandans seeking military-related training and other specialized skills.
The prosecution’s case has also linked Musumba to proposed meetings involving several opposition figures, including former Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, controversial political analyst Charles Rwomushana, among others.
Musumba, however, has not been charged in the ongoing proceedings. Her name appearing in prosecution evidence should therefore not be interpreted as proof that she committed any offence.
The rumours about her alleged flight from Uganda have gained traction partly because the political environment surrounding the Besigye case has changed dramatically in recent months.
Dr Besigye has remained in custody since his arrest in Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024, after which he and his political associate Obeid Lutale were brought back to Uganda and charged with treason. The High Court trial has since brought before the public a series of prosecution allegations concerning meetings, alleged military training, weapons and plans to overthrow and kill Museveni.
The pressure widened in June when Lukwago, another senior PFF figure and one of Besigye’s lawyers, was arrested and charged with misprision of treason, with prosecution accusing him of knowing about an alleged treasonous plan but failed to report it to the authorities. He denied the charge and was subsequently committed to the High Court for trial.
It was against this backdrop that CDF Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, publicly warned that Ssemujju Nganda and Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi would “follow very soon” after Lukwago.
Ssemujju subsequently left Uganda and has since explained that he feared arrest and becoming a “guest of the military basement.” In an August podcast, he said the arrest of colleagues including Besigye and Lukwago, coupled with persistent threats against him, influenced his decision to remain outside the country. He confirmed he would not be returning soon.
That development appears to have provided fertile ground for speculation whenever another opposition figure is seen travelling abroad. But Musumba is now insisting that her London trip should not be placed in the same category as Ssemujju’s departure.
Unlike Ssemujju, who has publicly said he does not intend to return in the near future because of fears for his safety, Musumba says her travel is part of a long-standing routine.
Her current London presence also coincides with the Uganda Health & Business Expo-UK 2026, which took place between July 31 and August 2 in London, where she was listed among the prominent Ugandan personalities participating in the event.
Her denial comes at a time when a number of prominent members of the opposition and government critics have indeed left Uganda, making reports of fresh departures particularly sensitive.
NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, left Uganda earlier this year after spending weeks in hiding following the January presidential election, later confirming that he had gone abroad after alleging that security forces were searching for him. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
