KAMPALA, Uganda – Former Kampala Lord Mayor and prominent opposition lawyer Erias Lukwago has been arrested by operatives attached to the Special Forces Command (SFC) following an operation at his residence in Wakaliga, Rubaga Division, Kampala.
The arrest came hours after Lukwago reported that his home had been surrounded by security personnel, including members of the elite military unit, as he prepared to take his children to school on Saturday morning.
According to Lukwago, several security vehicles, including two drone vans and other patrol units, were stationed outside his residence, while both uniformed and plainclothes operatives were deployed around the compound.
“I was stunned to wake up and find two minibuses, commonly known as drones, outside my gate. There are people in civilian clothes and others in army uniforms all over the place. I can’t get out of the house,” Lukwago said before his arrest.
He added that security personnel had not informed him of the reason for the operation.
“I don’t know why they are here and what they are looking for. I haven’t spoken to them, and they haven’t spoken to us either,” he said.
Witnesses reported that security operatives later moved closer to the residence, with some officers reportedly scaling the perimeter wall before entering the compound. Lukwago was subsequently taken into custody.
The arrest comes at a time when Lukwago is playing a key role as lead defence counsel for opposition veteran Kizza Besigye and his co-accused, Hajj Obeid Lutale, in an ongoing treason and national security case that has attracted national attention.
In recent weeks, Lukwago and members of the defence team, including Kenyan lawyer Martha Karua, boycotted an evidence review session, citing restrictions on access to their clients at Luzira Upper Prison. The accused persons have also declined to physically attend some court proceedings.
The development also comes shortly after the High Court directed Chief of Defence Forces Muhoozi Kainerugaba to respond within seven days to a petition filed by Besigye and Lutale over alleged threats made on social media.
Lukwago had confirmed on Friday that the Attorney General had been served with court documents related to the petition, while efforts were still underway to serve Gen. Muhoozi, Col. Peter Ahimbisibwe, and Lt. Col. Ephraim Byaruhanga.
The timing of the security operation has triggered widespread speculation about whether the arrest is connected to the ongoing legal battles involving Besigye and his co-accused. However, by the time of publication, neither the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) had issued an official statement explaining the reasons for Lukwago’s arrest.
The incident is expected to generate renewed debate over political freedoms, the rule of law, and the role of security agencies in Uganda’s evolving political landscape.
Keywords: Erias Lukwago arrest, SFC arrest Kampala, Wakaliga security operation, Kizza Besigye lawyer, Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda opposition politics, Kampala Lord Mayor, Uganda political news, SFC operatives, Rubaga Division.
