Uganda’s opposition People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) party has raised concerns over the deteriorating health of its Executive Chairman, Erias Lukwago, after his bail hearing was halted following the absence of the presiding judge.
In a statement, the party said the hearing was disrupted after Justice David Matovu failed to appear in court, citing the need to attend to his ill mother.
PFF expressed disappointment over the development, arguing that the court’s decision to adjourn the proceedings without setting a new date had prolonged Lukwago’s detention despite concerns about his medical condition.
The party claimed that the former Kampala Lord Mayor had been in detention for four months and required urgent specialised medical attention to address his deteriorating health.
While acknowledging the importance of attending to family health emergencies, PFF questioned what it described as the judiciary’s failure to give similar consideration to Lukwago’s medical needs.
“While family health is a human priority, it is deeply ironical and cruel that the judiciary grants a judge leave for a relative’s health, yet refuses to acknowledge the critical health condition of a man who has been unjustly detained for four months,” the party said.
PFF further alleged that medical doctors had repeatedly advised that Lukwago needed specialised treatment urgently, warning that continued delays in addressing his case could put his life at risk.
The party criticised the decision to adjourn the hearing without announcing another date, arguing that the delay had serious implications for the opposition leader’s health and access to medical care.
It also accused the judiciary of allowing legal proceedings to become a tool of political persecution, although the statement did not provide independent evidence to substantiate the allegation.
Lukwago, a lawyer and prominent opposition politician, has been a central figure in Uganda’s political landscape, particularly through his previous role as Kampala’s elected Lord Mayor.
PFF maintained that Lukwago had consistently respected the rule of law throughout his legal career, insisting that his situation should now be treated as an urgent humanitarian concern rather than a procedural dispute.
The party called for his unconditional release to enable him to access the specialised medical treatment it says he urgently needs.
The circumstances surrounding Lukwago’s detention, the specific nature of his medical condition and the next date for his bail hearing were not detailed in the party’s statement.