36 Ugandan party members charged with terrorism after deportation from Kenya

Thirty-six members of Uganda's Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party, who were arrested in Kenya last week and deported to Uganda on Wednesday last week, were charged with terrorism in a Ugandan court today.

According to the prosecution, the 36, including three women, travelled to Kisumu, Kenya, to receive terrorism training on July 22 and 23 this year. 

The court ordered that they be remanded until August 13. 

The charges came after Kenyan authorities handed the group that identifies itself as the FDC Katonga-led faction to Ugandan authorities last week on the grounds that they were conducting "suspicious activities" in the Kisumu area and lacked a local contact person or coordinator.

One of the suspects, Samuel Makokha Mugeni, the group coordinator, confirmed to the Ugandan Nile Post that the group was deported back safely on Wednesday night, July 24.

He explained that they had travelled to Kisumu "to improve FDC Katong'as leadership through skilling more members to get additional skills."

He added that the training was scheduled to take place in December before the delegates conference of FDC, Katonga.

"To improve the leadership of FDC Katonga and close the leadership gap, we sieved a number of people to get more skills in leadership and mobilise others," he told the Ugandan paper on Wednesday.

He added that the group used official documents to access Kenya, however, as they approached the Ukweli pastoral centre in Kisumu County for prayers before the training, unidentified people surrounded them, and they were covered.

36 members of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party were charged with terrorism in a Ugandan court on July 29, 2024. (Photo: Handout)

According to Mugeni, the group, in coordination with their top leadership, required a better environment than Uganda to train young members in leadership skills, which explains their choice for the Ukweli pastoral leadership centre in Kisumu County.

The group was then assembled at the Kololo Independence grounds, where the Kenyan authorities handed them to their Ugandan counterparts.

While in Uganda, they were detained at Nakalama Police Station in Mukono District before their arraignment in court earlier this morning.

Paul Mugisha, Director Liaison and Protocol ESO said they were picked on suspicion that they were engaging in suspicious activities.

"The DG thought that it was better for them to be able to be managed here (Uganda)," he said.

On Sunday, the faction's interim leader, Erias Lukwago, said the group was being detailed against the law.

"They have gone beyond the 48 hours allowed to have someone in custody since July 24, and today is July 28. The Bill of Rights says, upon arrest, inform the people you have arrested or whose liberties you have curtailed of the charges you are preferring against them," he said in a media briefing.

He further called for their unconditional release, insisting that they were in illegal detention.

"If they are talking about rebellion, subversive activities, or terrorism, we the leaders are the ones who authorised them to travel and participate in that programme, so if they are to charge them with treason, or any subversive activities, we are all here," he added.

At the same time, he vowed to write a protest note to Nairobi via the Kenyan Embassy in Kampala.

"After admitting our colleagues within their territory, they had a duty to give them the protection they required," he said.

The FDC has been the main opposition party in Uganda for a long time and is led by Dr. Kizza Besigye, who has been detained and kept under house arrest by the Yoweri Museveni-led government several times. 

Veteran Ugandan opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye. (Photo: Handout)_