KABALE — A court in Kabale has granted bail to Jolly Jackline Tukamushaba, the Western Uganda Deputy President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), after nearly a month in detention.
The Chief Magistrate’s Court in Kabale on Thursday approved a UGX 1 million cash bond, securing her temporary release. The case was adjourned to February 24 for further hearing.
Tukamushaba, who was contesting for the Rukiga District Woman MP seat on the NUP ticket, faces charges of inciting violence allegedly committed between December 2025 and January 2026. She has denied the accusations.
Alleged Abduction and Detention
According to her lawyers and party officials, Tukamushaba was reportedly abducted on January 14 by armed men said to be in military uniform. She was later produced before the court in Kabale and remanded to Ndorwa Prison on February 6.
Upon her release on bail, Tukamushaba described her emotions as “mixed.”
“I am relieved to regain my freedom, but I am saddened by the violations of my rights during this election period,” she said, recounting what she described as three weeks spent in an unknown location before being formally charged.
Her party’s Secretary General, David Lewis Rubongoya, welcomed her release but criticized the circumstances surrounding her detention.
“We welcome back our Deputy President Jolly Jacklyn Tukamushaba who was released on bail this evening. She was forcefully disappeared for weeks without trace until she was produced before court in Kabale and remanded,” Rubongoya said.
Political Tensions
The case has drawn attention from civil society and political commentators, some of whom have described the circumstances of her arrest and detention as troubling.
Uganda has experienced heightened political tensions following recent elections, with opposition leaders frequently accusing security agencies of targeting their members. Government and security officials have previously maintained that arrests are carried out in accordance with the law.
The bail decision now allows Tukamushaba to resume political activities as she awaits the next court appearance later this month.
Her case adds to ongoing debate about civil liberties, political competition and the conduct of security forces during Uganda’s electoral cycle.
