Former Leader of Opposition in Parliament Mathias Mpuuga and George Musisi, the lawyer for Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s National Unity Platform (NUP), have exchanged bitterly over the party’s prisoners.
On October 14, 2024, most NUP prisoners, including Olivia Lutaaya and Saanya Muhuydin, pleaded guilty before the Court Martial.
Party secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya claimed that junior minister for youth and children’s affairs, Balaam Barugahara Ateenyi, had meet the NUP inmates at Kitalya and Luzira Prisons.
“They told us that he went to Kitalya and Luzira prisons on Saturday and met with them. He told them to plead guilty and apologize to Gen. Museveni if they want their freedom,” noted Rubongoya.
“Only 9 of them have thus far stuck to their guns and refused to plead guilty.”
Those still sticking to their guilty plea are: Yasin Ssekitoleko Machete, Patrick Mwase, Sharif Kalanzi, Joseph Muwonge, Abdallah Kintu, Umar Emma Kato, Musa Kavuma, Jimmy Galukande and Abdallah Gibusiwa.
“Even these nine, the regime is pressuring them to plead guilty. Rightfully, they are asking the regime to produce evidence against them and try them. The regime has of course deliberately used this military court to keep them in jail without trial,” Rubongoya further noted.
“The ones who have pleaded guilty told us they only did this because they are tired of the long detention with no end in sight. After close to four years of detention without trial, anyone can understand the frustration and despair.”
After this development, Mpuuga said that time would come when those responsible for making Lutaaya and other prisoners suffer will be exposed. In Mpuuga’s view, while these prisoners suffered, some actors enjoyed themselves.
“One day the World will know the actions of individual actors in this whole mess in which our comrades have suffered, while others feathered their nests!” he noted.
But Bobi Wine’s NUP lawyer George Musisi called out Mpuuga for failing to stand in solidarity with the prisoners, even when he was the LOP. Mpuuga is currently the Nyendo-Mukungwe MP and a commissioner of Parliament of Uganda.
“Political posturing aside, ‘your comrades’ have appeared in the army court over 40 times since 2021. You didn’t even attend court, even once in solidarity, even as LOP. Was this part of feathering your own nest?” asked Musisi.
Mpuuga shot back, thus: “While you were peeping I stood surety for your paymasters and other … like you! When I was demanding for missing persons, you can recount the meetings you and other pretenders held to stop me!! Mbu akifunamu [that it would throw him in the] limelight!! You must be the happiest human; where is the party!”
Mpuuga also accused Musisi of failing to understand how Parliament works (the NUP lawyer is expected to contest for a parliamentary seat in 2026). Mpuuga clearly would not like to see Musisi in the House. The seasoned MP also accused the lawyer of ‘selective negotiation’ in the court martial.
“Now that you desire to join Parliament God forbid; you’ll require some time understanding Budget procedures and Parliament procedures!” he stung. “But your skills of selective negotiations at the court martial deserve space at the Bar Course timetable!”
To which Musisi responded: “We also ‘negotiated’ at the Bar in August 2020, when the party legality was under challenge! Thankfully then you were a direct beneficiary! You thereafter became LOP, Commissioner, awards, etc! You have reaped more fruits out of my “negotiations”! Be thankful!”
Mpuuga has since previously announced that he can become president of Uganda, and that Bobi Wine did not have the ability to lead Uganda. When the High Court ‘cleared’ his Shs500m service award, he told his enemies to use their heads more than their mouths. Mpuuga now wants seven things changed before the 2026 general elections. (See Details Here, There and Over There).
(For comments on this report, story tips or sponsored content, send us a Whatsapp message on +256 705 690 819 or E-mail us on pearltimesug@gmail.com).
Please Follow our Whatsapp Channel for More Stories HERE
