Uganda Human Rights Commission Orders Immediate Release of Eddie Mutwe

Kampala, Uganda – The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) has issued a formal Release Order demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Edward Rogers Ssebuufu widely known as Eddie Mutwe, a longtime bodyguard and confidant of opposition leader Bobi Wine.

According to a document dated May 2, 2025, signed by Hon. Mariam Wangadya, Chairperson of the UHRC, Mutwe has been held illegally and without due process by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) since April 26.

The order addressed to the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, cites Article 53(2)(a) of the Constitution and Rule 31 of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (Procedure) Rules.

“Whereas the Commission is satisfied that he is being unlawfully detained, this is to direct you to cause the immediate release of Edward Rogers Ssebuufu from your custody, failure of which you may be liable for contempt under Article 53(1)(d) of the Constitution,” the UHRC letter reads.

This unprecedented release order comes amid growing public outrage and international condemnation of Mutwe’s reported torture, incommunicado detention and dehumanization allegedly under the directive of General Muhoozi Kainerugaba the current CDF.

Mutwe, known as more than just a bodyguard but a symbolic figure in the People Power movement was reportedly abducted and detained without charge sparking protests and a solidarity rally called by Bobi Wine at Makerere-Kavule earlier today.

“Eddie Mutwe is all of us. Today it is him, tomorrow it could be any one of us,” Bobi Wine said earlier on X. “Museveni’s brutal son is illegally holding, torturing and dehumanizing him while he boasts about it.”

The release order has sent shockwaves across political and civil society circles. Rights defenders have lauded the UHRC’s bold step calling it a rare display of institutional courage in the face of rampant executive overreach.

The Commission’s public announcement via X added fuel to the already roaring fire online

“We have issued a release order directing the @cdfupdf @mkainerugaba and @MODVA_UPDF to release Edward Rogers Ssebuufu aka @eddie_mutwe with immediate effect,” the official UHRC handle posted.

The message was accompanied by a signed, stamped letter with the official insignia of the Republic of Uganda, clearly received by the Office of the Chief of Defence Forces on May 2, 2025.

The big question now is whether the military led by Gen. Muhoozi will comply with the legal order or openly defy a constitutionally mandated human rights body.

The stakes are high since a refusal to release Eddie Mutwe would not only violate constitutional law but also mark a grave turning point in Uganda’s democratic decline.

While previous UHRC actions have been criticized as toothless, this latest move particularly its bold tone and open confrontation with the military has rekindled hope among activists that constitutionalism might not yet be dead.

Meanwhile, Bobi Wine and NUP leadership are calling for continued non-violent resistance and lawful protest.

Also Read: “Eddie Mutwe Is All of Us” Bobi Wine Rallies Ugandans for Solidarity