Uganda: Nine Nup Supporters Granted Amnesty

What the report says

Nine supporters of Uganda’s opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) have been granted amnesty after spending years in custody, according to Nile Post, as republished by AllAfrica. The decision was made by the Uganda Amnesty Commission and approved in proceedings before the General Court Martial in Makindye, with the release reported on Friday. The group is identified in the report as Yasin Ssekitoleko, Patrick Mwase, Sharif Kalanzi, Joseph Muwonge, Abdalla Kintu, Emma Umar Kato, Musa Kavuma, Jimmy Galukande and Abdallah Hakim Gibusiwa.

The article says the army prosecution did not oppose the amnesty application. A legal officer from the Amnesty Commission received the beneficiaries during the court process, and the report says they will undergo rehabilitation, counselling and reintegration before returning to their families. The case has been handled within Uganda’s military justice system because the men were previously facing charges under the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Act.

Nile Post reports that the nine had been accused of treachery and unlawful possession of ammunition, with allegations tied to activities in Kampala and other locations including Jinja and Mbale. The reported claims also referred to alleged links with a rebel group and the use of improvised explosive devices. The amnesty decision matters because it closes, at least for these nine, a politically sensitive case stemming from the aftermath of the 2021 general elections and highlights the role of Uganda’s amnesty process in resolving some security-related cases.