By: CMP Publications
Today, His Excellency Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine, revealed disturbing developments concerning the #OliviaLutaaya file, stating that 19 of the original 32 political prisoners have succumbed to regime coercion and pleaded guilty to crimes they did not commit. After enduring nearly four years of detention without trial, these prisoners were pressured into false confessions by the regime’s minister, Balaam, who visited them on Saturday — a non-visitation day — and demanded they plead guilty and seek President Museveni’s forgiveness. The message was clear: without an apology, they would never see freedom.
Kyagulanyi disclosed that while opposition leaders have been repeatedly blocked from visiting these comrades, regime operatives have had unrestricted access to them, manipulating their resolve through prolonged, recorded conversations. “Even the few times we have met them,” Kyagulanyi said, “the visits were brief, supervised, and heavily monitored by security operatives and prison warders who insisted on listening to every word of our conversation.”
This scenario reflects the blatant abuse of rights and misuse of power by the regime, leading to the imprisonment of political dissidents without trial or evidence. “The legal team that had represented them since 2021 had exhausted all legal channels, yet the regime made it clear that this was never a legal case but a political one. They were forced to drop their lawyers and adopt UPDF counsel,” he added.
While Kyagulanyi expressed empathy for the 19 prisoners forced into a guilty plea due to sheer frustration and desperation, he commended the bravery of nine prisoners who continue to demand a fair trial or their freedom. “I salute the nine prisoners of conscience who are standing firm. The day of justice is near. We shall overcome!” he concluded.
This revelation highlights the continued suppression of opposition voices and the urgent need for international attention to human rights violations in Uganda.
CMP Publications will continue to follow this story and expose the injustices faced by Uganda’s political prisoners.