The former Kampala Lord Mayor’s hospitalisation comes amid a stalled bail bid and renewed questions about medical care for detained opposition figures, following Dr Kizza Besigye’s disputed discharge from Mulago in August.
Former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago has been rushed to Mulago National Referral Hospital in critical condition, according to his family.
The family told Nile Post reporter Sula Ssebugwaho on Monday that Lukwago’s condition was critical after he was taken to the hospital.
The Uganda Prisons Service had not publicly commented on the latest development by press time, while efforts by Nile Post to obtain a response from prisons spokesperson Frank Baine were unsuccessful.
Lukwago’s hospitalisation comes amid concerns about the health of detained opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye, who collapsed during his treason trial in July and was taken to Mulago for emergency treatment.
Besigye was discharged from the hospital under a cloud of controversy on August 7 and returned to Luzira Prison, despite protests from his wife, Winnie Byanyima, who said he remained too weak to walk, speak or care for himself.
The circumstances of his discharge sparked a dispute between the family and authorities over whether he was fit to leave hospital.
Since his return to prison, Byanyima has continued to raise concerns about his condition and access to appropriate medical care. Besigye has not participated in the subsequent court proceedings, with the High Court allowing his treason trial to proceed in his absence.
Lukwago, who was representing Besigye in the treason case before his own arrest, has also been battling health complications while in custody.
Lukwago was picked up on June 15, 2026, when armed security personnel reportedly raided his home in Wakaliga, Kampala, and took him away.
His whereabouts remained unknown for more than two days, with his family and associates raising concerns about his detention and access to legal assistance. He was subsequently produced in court on June 17 and charged with misprision of treason, an offence relating to failure to report knowledge of alleged treasonous activities.
The prosecution alleges that Lukwago knew of an alleged plot involving Besigye and other opposition figures but failed to report it to the authorities. Lukwago has denied the charge.
His arrest came at a particularly sensitive point in Besigye’s case, in which he had been providing legal representation. The detention also complicated Besigye’s efforts to proceed with lawyers of his choice, an issue that featured prominently in the court proceedings preceding his collapse.
Lukwago has since cited his health and need for specialised treatment in repeated applications for bail.
Medical concerns in custody
Lukwago was transferred from Luzira’s Murchison Bay Prison to Mulago National Referral Hospital on June 25 following a court directive requiring prison authorities to facilitate specialised medical assessment and treatment.
His lawyers subsequently reported that he was experiencing severe pain, particularly around the area where he had previously undergone spinal surgery in India, and remained physically weak as doctors conducted investigations.
In a fresh bail application reported on Monday, October 19, Lukwago argued that he had spent more than 60 days on remand without trial and needed specialised treatment that prison medical facilities could not adequately provide.
He cited the need for a post-operative review of his cervical spine surgery, alongside treatment and assessment for other medical conditions. He asked the High Court to consider his medical needs, fixed residence and proposed sureties when determining whether to release him.
The latest reported transfer to Mulago adds urgency to those concerns, although the nature of his current illness and the treatment he is receiving had not been officially disclosed by Monday.
Luzira Prison has a medical facility of its own but the transfer of Lukwago to Mulago suggests the remand facility's healthcare service is unable to meet the health condition of the detainee.