KAMPALA — A heavy security presence was reported at the residence of former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago on Monday morning, with opposition figures alleging that soldiers and security operatives had surrounded his home ahead of his planned attempt to serve court documents on Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.
Lukwago, who is part of the legal team representing opposition veteran Dr. Kizza Besigye, said security personnel had sealed off his residence, preventing his movements.
In a post on social media, Lukwago claimed: “Two drones have sealed off my home with security operatives hovering around.”
The claims were echoed by Kira Municipality MP Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, who alleged that the deployment was intended to stop Lukwago from serving court papers on Gen. Muhoozi in a case related to the alleged abduction of Besigye from Kenya in 2024.
“Erias Lukwago’s home has this morning been surrounded by soldiers to stop him from serving Muhoozi Kainerugaba with court papers on the case we filed about the kidnapping of Kizza Besigye from Kenya,” Ssemujju posted on X.
Another opposition activist, Kiiza Eron, described the situation as a “siege,” claiming Lukwago had alerted colleagues that security operatives were stationed around his home. He called upon the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda Law Society to intervene.
The opposition People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), where Lukwago serves as National Chairman, condemned the reported deployment, describing it as an attempt to frustrate legal processes and suppress dissent.
“The cowardly regime has once again deployed military and police blockades to surround the residence of our National Chairman, Counsel Erias Lukwago,” the party said in a statement.
According to PFF, Lukwago had been scheduled to appear on Sanyuka Television and was preparing to serve court documents on Gen. Muhoozi when the security operation allegedly commenced.
The party accused authorities of using state power to shield senior officials from legal accountability.
“Instead of respecting the rule of law, the regime has chosen military might to shield themselves from legal accountability and choke the voices of democratic change,” the statement added.
The case stems from a lawsuit filed by Besigye’s legal team seeking accountability over his alleged abduction from Kenya and subsequent transfer to Uganda. The petition reportedly names Gen. Muhoozi as a respondent, citing public statements he made before Besigye’s arrest and transfer.
At the time of publication, neither the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) had issued an official statement regarding the reported deployment at Lukwago’s residence. It was also unclear whether Lukwago had eventually been able to leave his home or serve the court papers.
The developments come amid heightened political tensions as Uganda moves closer to the 2026 general elections, with opposition groups increasingly accusing security agencies of targeting their leaders and activities.
Observers say the latest incident is likely to intensify debate over civil liberties, political freedoms and the conduct of security agencies during the country’s electoral period.
