LEGAL DEFENSE: Makerere Law Society Condemns ‘Unlawful Abduction’ of Counsel Erias Lukwago

KAMPALA — The Makerere Law Society (MLS), representing the student body of the Makerere University School of Law, has strongly condemned what it describes as the violent seizure and enforced disappearance of senior Advocate Counsel Erias Lukwago.

In an official press release dated June 16, 2026, signed by MLS President Sembajjwe Rogers, the student legal body expressed profound solidarity with Lukwago, his family, and the legal profession during this distressing period.

The strongly worded statement follows the high-profile arrest of Lukwago, a senior Advocate of the High Court of Uganda, former Lord Mayor of Kampala Capital City Authority, and President of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), from his Wakaliga residence on Monday morning, June 15, 2026.

Assault on Judicial Independence

The student society noted that multiple credible media accounts and eyewitness testimony, including that of Lukwago’s spouse, confirmed that armed personnel scaled the perimeter wall of the family residence. The operatives gained forced entry and removed the senior lawyer without producing an arrest warrant, court order, or lawful summons.

MLS stressed that the operation took place merely hours before Lukwago was scheduled to formally serve court processes upon the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) in connection with pending litigation before the High Court of Uganda.

The society noted that where the operation is undertaken to obstruct the lawful service of court process, it raises grave concerns of contempt of court and an attempt to interfere with the independence of the Judiciary, contrary to Article 128 of the Constitution.

                [CONSTITUTIONAL BREACHES CITED BY MLS]
                                  │
     ┌────────────────────────────┼────────────────────────────┐
     ▼                            ▼                            ▼
 [ARTICLE 23]                 [ARTICLE 28]                 [ARTICLE 128]
Right to Liberty &            Right to a Fair            Independence of 
48-Hour Rule       Hearing & Counsel     the Judiciary

Constitutional Violations Highlighted

The future officers of the court reminded state organs that the Republic of Uganda remains bound by the 1995 Constitution. The society points to several clear constitutional violations surrounding the operation:

• Article 23: Guarantees personal liberty and mandates that an arrested person must be informed of the reasons for arrest and produced before a court within forty-eight (48) hours.

• Article 28: Guarantees every person’s right to a fair hearing, including the presumption of innocence and access to legal representation.

• Article 44: Classifies freedom from torture and the right to a fair hearing as non-derogable rights that are incapable of suspension under any circumstances.

• Article 99 & Separation of Powers: Requires the military and security organs of the State to operate strictly within civilian oversight and judicial accountability, and not as instruments for the intimidation of officers of court or litigants before it.

The society noted that the manner of Lukwago’s seizure, without any warrant of arrest issued under the Magistrates Courts Act or the Trial on Indictments Act, and absent any acknowledgment of custody, constitutes an enforced disappearance under customary international human rights law.

Demands for Accountability

The Makerere Law Society has directed a five-point petition to the relevant authorities, including the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, the Uganda Police Force, and the Ministry of Internal Affairs, demanding immediate compliance with the law:

1. Immediately and unconditionally release Mr. Erias Lukwago, or produce him before a competent court of law without further delay, in compliance with Article 23(4) of the Constitution.

2. Disclose, without equivocation, his current whereabouts and state of health to his family, his legal counsel, and the Uganda Law Society.

3. Guarantee his unimpeded access to legal representation and family visitation in accordance with the Constitution and the Uganda Prisons Act.

4. Institute an independent and transparent investigation into the conduct of the officers involved in this operation, with a view to accountability under both military and civilian law.

5. Take all necessary measures to guarantee that no Advocate, judicial officer, or litigant shall be subjected to intimidation, abduction, or reprisal for the lawful exercise of their constitutional and professional duties.

The law students warned that allowing the intimidation of lawyers directly places the entire legal profession and the administration of justice under threat, concluding that the future of Uganda’s legal and constitutional order depends entirely on the protection of those who serve it.