National Unity Platform (NUP) has secured the release on bail of 16 of its supporters who were arrested in Lubaga and charged with allegedly defacing campaign posters belonging to President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni.
Appearing before the Chief Magistrate at Mwanga II Court in Mengo, the NUP legal team led by Counsel Harunah successfully argued for the temporary release of the accused individuals, many of whom had been in detention for several days under unclear circumstances.
Initially charged with defacement of political posters, the prosecution later amended the charges to malicious damage to property, sparking criticism from NUP leaders and legal observers.
According to NUP, this escalation of charges was done without credible evidence and appears to be politically motivated.
“This is a clear case of political persecution. The state continues to weaponize the criminal justice system to intimidate and silence opposition supporters,” said NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi.
NUP maintains that during President Museveni’s Parish Development Model (PDM) mobilization tours in Lubaga, it was state-aligned security operatives who were seen removing and vandalizing NUP campaign materials, not the accused supporters.
“Instead of investigating those who actually vandalized NUP posters, the police turned on our own people and framed them,” Ssenyonyi added.
During the court appearance on July 29, Counsel Harunah argued that the suspects were law-abiding citizens, had fixed places of residence, and were not a flight risk. The Chief Magistrate granted bail to all 16 individuals, pending further hearing of the case.
The bail conditions include weekly reporting to the Mengo Police Station, a cash bail of UGX 500,000 per person and sureties who must be residents of Kampala with verified identification.
The next hearing is scheduled for August 15, 2025.
The arrests come amid rising tensions as political parties gear up for the 2026 General Elections. NUP has accused the government of escalating a campaign of repression targeting its mobilizers, youth coordinators, and supporters across Kampala.
This case adds to a growing list of what NUP calls politically motivated arrests, a claim echoed by civil society groups, some of whom are calling for independent investigations into police conduct.
Human rights lawyer Nicholas Opiyo commented via social media:
“Poster vandalism, while a petty offense, has now become a tool for cracking down on dissent. Selective prosecution, delayed trials, and unlawful detention have no place in a democratic society.”
The Electoral Commission of Uganda has not officially commented on the arrests or the accusations of selective justice.
However, police spokespersons have previously defended arrests during campaign seasons as necessary for maintaining public order.
The Uganda Police Force has in the past denied targeting opposition supporters and insists that all investigations are evidence-led and non-partisan.
NUP says its legal team will continue to defend the accused and push for dismissal of the charges. The party has vowed to expose what it sees as a coordinated campaign of judicial harassment, and it plans to petition Uganda Human Rights Commission and international watchdogs for intervention.
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