KAMPALA, Uganda — The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has threatened to seek intervention from regional and international legal bodies following the reported arrest and incommunicado detention of prominent lawyer and opposition leader Erias Lukwago.
Lukwago, the former Kampala Lord Mayor, acting President of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), and lead counsel to opposition veteran Dr. Kizza Besigye, was reportedly taken from his home in Wakaliga, Kampala, in the early hours of Monday by armed security operatives.
Witnesses said heavily armed men traveling in white Toyota Hiace vans, commonly known as “drones,” surrounded the residence before taking Lukwago to an undisclosed location. Family members and associates claim no arrest warrant was presented and no official explanation was provided during the operation.
Addressing journalists in Kampala, Uganda Law Society Acting Secretary General Babu Ssali condemned the incident and demanded Lukwago’s immediate release or production before a competent court within 24 hours.
“No citizen should be arrested outside the law or held incommunicado,” Ssali said. “We demand that Erias Lukwago be produced before court or released immediately.”
The lawyers’ body warned that continued failure by authorities to disclose Lukwago’s whereabouts could compel it to escalate the matter to regional and international human rights mechanisms.
The development has heightened concerns among legal practitioners, civil society organizations and opposition supporters, who argue that the reported detention reflects a growing pattern of enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests targeting government critics.
Kenyan lawyer and politician Martha Karua also condemned the reported arrest, describing it as an attack on the rule of law and linking it to Lukwago’s role in representing opposition figures, including Dr. Besigye.
The reported detention comes amid heightened political tensions and follows efforts by Lukwago and other lawyers to pursue legal action in matters involving senior government and security officials.
By Monday evening, security agencies had not publicly confirmed whether Lukwago was in custody, nor had they disclosed his place of detention or any charges against him.
The uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts has fueled criticism from opposition groups, who accuse security agencies of operating outside established legal procedures.
Lukwago remains one of Uganda’s most prominent opposition figures, having served as Kampala Lord Mayor and represented numerous political activists, opposition supporters and government critics in court over the years.
The Uganda Law Society said it would continue monitoring the situation and pursue all available legal avenues to ensure respect for constitutional rights, due process and the rule of law.