Dr. Kizza Besigye of the opposition and Samuel Lubega Mukaku, a previous candidate for the Rubaga South Constituency in the Parliament, had asked for release, but the High Court denied their request.
They were contesting Asuman Muhumuza, the grade magistrate at Buganda Road Court, who had denied them bail on June 17, 2022.
On Thursday, High Court Justice Asiimwe Tadeo advised the two to return to Buganda Road Court’s Chief Magistrate.
This month, Besigye and Mukaku were detained in downtown Kampala while staging a demonstration against the growing cost of living.
Winnie Byanyima, the executive director of UNAIDS, was also present in court (Courtsey photo)
They were accused of instigating violence and imprisoned in Luzira.
As some of his sureties for the bail application, Besigye included Winnie Byanyima, his partner and the UNAIDS executive director, Kampala Deputy Mayor Doreen Nyanjura, and former Rukungiri Municipality MP Roland Mugume.
Michael Lulume Bayigga, the MP for Buikwe South, and Margaret Wokuri, a past candidate for the Mbale District Woman MP seat, served as Mukaku’s sureties.
The application that was presented to Justice Asiimwe, in his opinion, was “premature.”
Winnie is acting as a surety for Mukaku and Besigye (Daily Monitor photo)
A representative of the Director of Public Prosecutions named Isaiah Wanamama brought up this issue, claiming the two had not “exhausted the magistrate structures as they should have first gone to the Chief Magistrate where the primary criminal charge is pending.”
The trial magistrate “wrongfully denied them bail based on a track record of unprosecuted frivolous criminal matters,” Besigye and Mukaku claimed in their bail plea.
They were directed to apply before the Magistrates Court by Justice Asiimwe.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) President, Eng. Patrick Oboi Amuriat, the Executive Director of UNAIDS and Dr. Kizza Besigye’s partner, Hon. Ssemujju Nganda Ibrahim, Deputy Lord Mayor Nyanjura Doreen, Hon. Francis Mwijukye, and other luminaries were present at the application hearing.
