NUP’s Mufumbiro Denied Bail to Bury Wife
The National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy spokesperson, Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro, has been denied bail by a magistrate’s court in Kanyanya, Kawempe Division, effectively blocking him from attending the burial of his late wife, Edith Katende Mufumbiro.
Mufumbiro, who is currently on remand, had made a humanitarian appeal seeking temporary release to pay his last respects and support his grieving children. His wife succumbed to terminal cancer in the early hours of Wednesday, April 8, 2026, without her husband by her side.
“I humbly ask this honourable court to grant me temporary release so I can bury my wife and stand with my children in this difficult time,” Mufumbiro said in his application.
However, in a ruling delivered via Zoom, Chief Magistrate Doreen Ainembabazi dismissed the request, citing the seriousness of the charges against him and the risk that he might abscond if released.
“The offence the applicant is charged with is serious and attracts a maximum sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment upon conviction. Given the severity of the punishment, the court finds a high risk that the accused may not return for trial if released on bail,” Ainembabazi ruled.
The magistrate also rejected Mufumbiro’s proposed sureties, which included his father, retired magistrate Moses Baligeya, and Lord Mayor-elect Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga.
Court heard that investigations into the case have been completed and the prosecution is ready to proceed with trial.
“The state is ready to proceed, and this matter should be disposed of expeditiously,” the magistrate added.
Mufumbiro is facing charges of incitement to commit violence, with prosecution alleging that he encouraged NUP supporters to attack security personnel. He was first charged on October 30, 2025, under Section 21(1) of the Penal Code Act.
According to the charge sheet, he allegedly incited supporters on September 4, 2025, within Kampala to commit offences, including calls to violence against security forces.
He also faces additional charges related to unlawful assembly and conducting military-style drills without authorization, alongside ten co-accused individuals.
Speaking after the ruling, Mufumbiro’s lawyer, Samuel Muyizzi Mulindwa, criticized the court’s decision, describing it as lacking compassion and transparency.
“The applicant lost his dear wife and was only pleading for temporary relief to attend her burial following her dying declaration. This court has said it does not have the constitutional mandate, discretion, benevolence, kindness, or compassion to release him on bail because of the political nature of the case,” Muyizzi said.
He further accused the judiciary of limiting public access to proceedings, noting that the Zoom session was cut off and media access restricted.
“It’s justice hidden—justice denied in a kangaroo manner, not by the rule of law but by political instructions,” he added.
Mufumbiro has previously been denied bail on grounds that his release could interfere with investigations and that his sureties were insufficient.
