President Museveni Promises to Review, Pardon Cases of NUP Political Prisoners

President Yoweri Museveni has said he will consider forgiving and releasing opposition members who were jailed for taking part in illegal protests. He made this promise during an event at State House Entebbe where six new ministers were sworn in.

During the ceremony, President Museveni asked a group of former members of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) to give him a list of political prisoners who were arrested for participating in illegal protests. He said he would consider pardoning those who were not involved in serious crimes like murder.

“I will consider your request. Those who were violent towards innocent people may be pardoned. However, if they are found guilty of serious crimes like murder, I cannot assist. Please provide me with a list,” he stated.

This discussion came about after the Minister of State for Youth and Children Affairs, Balaam Ateenyi Barugahara, mentioned that he had been approached by some opposition leaders asking for the release of political prisoners they claimed were misled into joining the protests.

Balaam, outside Parliament on Monday, stated that he would work towards securing their release as one of his first priorities. During the swearing-in ceremony at State House on Wednesday, he introduced one of the former NUP councilors who had switched sides and joined his group, Patriotic League Uganda (PLU), aligned with the ruling NRM government.

“We encountered a group of NUP members and their councilors, of whom eight agreed to join our patriotic cause. We clarified that we don’t represent a political party but align with the NRM party. They were willing to collaborate with us and expressed a desire to meet you,” stated Balaam.

The councilor, representing the NUP movement, wearing a red beret and overall, asked the president to pardon the jailed youths, claiming they were misled into participating in the protests.

“These NUP youths in prison were led astray, Your Excellency. It’s my humble plea that you intervene on their behalf and grant them pardon. It would be a great gift to the country, akin to an Eid present,” he said to the President.

President Museveni listened to their request and said he would look into it, emphasizing that those involved in serious crimes might not be eligible for pardon.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) party has been persistently advocating for the release of over 20 of their supporters who vanished during the January 2021 general elections. This call for justice came amid mounting frustration and concern over the lack of information regarding the whereabouts and well-being of these individuals.

David Lewis Rubongoya, the party’s secretary-general, voiced the collective dismay, emphasizing that the only apparent “crime” committed by these missing individuals was their support for the NUP and its leader, President Kyagulanyi.

Similarly ,in December 2023, leaders from a coalition of opposition parties also united in solidarity with NUP’s quest for justice. During a joint gatherings last year, representatives from various political factions, including the Katonga faction of the Forum for Democratic Change, Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), Uganda Peoples Congress, and Conservative Party (CP), pledged their support to NUP’s efforts. Together, they vowed to advocate for the rights of all victims of political persecution, including those who have disappeared, languish in detention without trial, or lost their lives during past violent incidents such as the November 18, 2020 protests.

Recently, Uganda Prisons Spokesperson Frank Baine stated that information regarding the number of suspects detained at Kitalya after the November 18th riots can only be disclosed with a court order. Baine challenged the NUP to provide evidence to support their claim of several of their supporters being imprisoned.