Politics 18 June 2026 Daily Monitor (Uganda)
Lawyers protest Lukwago treason charge, seek DPP intervention
Members of the Uganda Law Society (ULS) marched to the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) offices to demand the withdrawal of a "legally untenable" misprision of treason charge against advocate Erias Lukwago. The lawyers expressed concerns that the charge constitutes 'lawfare' and is politically motivated. Source: https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/lawyers-march-to-dpp-offices-over-lukwago-charging-5501310
Dressed in black, lawyers under the Uganda Law Society (ULS) have staged a protest, marching from their headquarters to the Directorate of Public Prosecutions (DPP) offices in Kampala. Their primary demand is the immediate withdrawal of the misprision of treason charge brought against former Kampala Lord Mayor and senior advocate, Erias Lukwago.
The ULS leadership, represented by Vice President Anthony Asiimwe, argues that the charge is legally flawed and politically motivated, accusing the prosecution of misusing the criminal justice system. The lawyers assert that Mr. Lukwago was merely performing his professional duties, including serving court documents and representing clients, which cannot reasonably constitute treason.
In a petition submitted, ULS president Isaac Ssemakadde labelled the prosecution of Mr. Lukwago as a clear instance of “lawfare” – the weaponization of legal institutions to target and harass the defence team of political opponents. They believe this action is intended to cripple Dr. Kizza Besigye’s defence team, of which Mr. Lukwago is a part.
Mr. Lukwago was arrested earlier in the week and subsequently charged with misprision of treason before being remanded. During their march, the lawyers met briefly with DPP Lino Anguzu, who reportedly assured them that their concerns would be addressed in a scheduled meeting early next week. The ULS has indicated it will await this meeting before considering further action.