Museveni pardons 19 NUP supporters sentenced by court martial
Uganda Prisons Service spokesperson Frank Baine confirmed receipt of the presidential directive to release the group.
President Yoweri Museveni has exercised his constitutional authority to pardon 19 National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters previously sentenced to prison by the General Court Martial.
The pardon, issued under Article 12(1)(a) of the Constitution, orders the immediate release of the individuals, who were convicted of treachery and unlawful possession of ammunition.
Uganda Prisons Service spokesperson Frank Baine confirmed receipt of the presidential directive to release the group.
Among those pardoned are Rashid Ssegujja, Robert Rugumayo, Muhymdin Kakooza, Simon Kijjambu, Abdul Matovu, Olivia Lutaaya, Mesearch Kiwanuka, Ibrahim Wandera, Asbert Nagwere, and 11 others.
The 19 individuals were arrested in Kalangala District in 2020 while campaigning for Robert Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine, during his presidential bid. Last month, the General Court Martial, chaired by Brig Gen Freeman Mugabe, sentenced them to five years in prison, citing time already served on remand and during the trial.
Brig Gen Mugabe ruled that for treachery, the group would serve an additional three months and 22 days, while the charge of unlawful possession of ammunition carried a caution. This decision accounted for the three years and four months the accused had already spent in detention and the 16 months dedicated to their defense.
Despite this leniency, the group expressed dissatisfaction with the verdict and petitioned President Museveni for clemency.
Prosecutors alleged that the group possessed 13 explosive devices reserved for the defense forces at various locations between November 2020 and May 2021.
The president’s pardon comes as a significant relief for the NUP supporters and their families, bringing an end to a contentious legal battle that had drawn significant public attention.
