Lawyer Godwin Toko has raised concerns over the health of detained former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago, claiming that he requires urgent specialised medical treatment abroad but continues to face obstacles in securing bail.
In a statement, Toko said Lukwago was rushed to Mulago National Referral Hospital on Monday in a critical condition after treatment at a private medical facility in Lubowa reportedly failed to improve his health.
Lukwago, who is also the lawyer representing detained opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, was arrested in June this year, according to Toko.
The lawyer said seven medical specialists examined Lukwago and issued a report recommending urgent treatment abroad, where he had reportedly been receiving medical care before his arrest.
However, Toko claimed that the magistrate handling Lukwago’s case had declined to grant him bail pending a separate medical assessment by Uganda Prisons.
According to the lawyer, the magistrate sought a report from the prison authorities to establish whether their medical facilities could adequately manage Lukwago’s condition, despite the specialists’ assessment.
Toko questioned the decision to seek another medical opinion, arguing that it had created a standoff between prison authorities and specialists at the country’s national referral hospital over the appropriate treatment for the detained politician.
He also expressed concern over remarks allegedly made by President Yoweri Museveni’s son in a social media post.
“I'm not bothered about Lukwago's illness. He looks healthy enough to be hanged,” the post quoted by Toko read.
The lawyer condemned the reported remarks, accusing African leaders of treating fellow citizens in an inhumane manner, particularly when dealing with political opponents.
Toko further compared Lukwago’s situation with that of Joseph Musasizi Kifefe, the younger brother of Besigye, who died in 2007.
He said Musasizi’s case involved a similar dispute over whether prison authorities could treat a seriously ill detainee despite medical specialists recommending bail and advanced treatment.
According to Toko, Musasizi, popularly known as Saasi, eventually died, with the autopsy attributing his death to kidney failure.
The lawyer argued that the circumstances surrounding Musasizi’s detention raised troubling questions about the consequences of delaying medical intervention for prisoners with serious illnesses.
He called for reflection on Uganda’s treatment of detained individuals, questioning the country’s commitment to human dignity and the protection of citizens’ rights.