By Ben Musanje
Former Buikwe South Member of Parliament Dr. Michael Lulume Bayigga has directly challenged President Yoweri Museveni and his younger brother Gen. Salim Saleh over the conduct of Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, saying they cannot escape responsibility for his actions while they remain influential figures in the country’s leadership.
In a strongly worded statement posted on his X account, Bayigga said he would not place blame on Gen. Muhoozi himself, arguing instead that responsibility rested with those who raised and mentored him. He maintained that President Museveni, as Muhoozi’s father, and Gen. Saleh, as his uncle, could not claim that controlling or guiding him was beyond their ability. He further questioned who else, if not them, could help the army commander appreciate what he described as the political dangers and consequences of his conduct.
Bayigga’s remarks come amid growing political tension following the reported abduction of People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) president Erias Lukwago by armed men dressed in military uniform from his home in Wakaliga, Kampala.
A former Democratic Party presidential candidate before joining the People’s Front for Freedom in 2025, Bayigga has maintained long-standing political ties with Lukwago dating back to their days in the Democratic Party. Lukwago later worked closely with Dr. Kizza Besigye in the Forum for Democratic Change before the two became leading figures in the newly formed PFF.
The controversy erupted after PFF Secretary General Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda alleged that Lukwago was seized just hours before he was expected to serve court papers on Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba in a case linked to detained opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye.
Ssemujju told journalists that Lukwago, one of Besigye’s lawyers, had intended to serve court documents on the Chief of Defence Forces in connection with a High Court application challenging Besigye’s alleged abduction from Nairobi, Kenya, in November 2024. He alleged that Besigye was abducted from Kenya by Gen. Muhoozi and other soldiers, claims that have not been independently verified.
He further alleged that Lukwago had planned to serve the court papers directly at Gen. Muhoozi’s known office and suggested that the timing of his disappearance raised suspicion about who may have ordered the operation.
Later, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba posted photographs on his X account purportedly showing Lukwago wearing a white T-shirt with his face partly covered by a scarf. The Chief of Defence Forces captioned the images by stating that Lukwago was “learning Kiswahili,” a post that quickly generated widespread debate among government supporters and opposition activists over the circumstances surrounding the PFF leader’s reported detention.
According to Ssemujju, soldiers wearing UPDF uniforms stormed Lukwago’s residence in the early hours of Wednesday, surrounded the premises, scaled the perimeter fence and forced their way into the house. He said Lukwago was ordered out of his bedroom and bundled into a Toyota Hiace vehicle, commonly known as a “drone,” before being driven away.
He added that Lukwago was not informed of the reasons for his arrest and that his family was left terrified by the operation.
Ssemujju further argued that those who carried out the operation failed to follow due legal process. He maintained that if they were legitimate law enforcement officers, they were required to identify themselves and state the reasons for the arrest in line with constitutional procedures. He said Lukwago’s family remained deeply distressed and unaware of his whereabouts.
The party says it remains uncertain about Lukwago’s location and has raised concerns over his safety and possible detention.
Fueling further controversy, Gen. Muhoozi’s post on X has intensified public debate, especially after critics interpreted the message as confirmation of Lukwago’s custody, while supporters described it as sarcasm directed at opposition figures.
Lukwago is part of the legal team representing Dr. Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale in a treason and misprision of treason case currently before the High Court. The two opposition figures were allegedly abducted from Kenya before being returned to Uganda and charged.
The case was previously handled by the General Court Martial before being transferred to the High Court following changes in the military justice system. It is now presided over by Justice Emmanuel Baguma.
Last week, proceedings stalled after Besigye and Lutale failed to appear in court, further delaying a case that has become one of the country’s most politically sensitive legal battles.
For Bayigga and other opposition figures, Lukwago’s reported abduction has become a symbol of what they describe as a deepening crisis of the rule of law, with increasing pressure on the state to account for his whereabouts and the circumstances surrounding the incident.
