President Museveni promises Pardon to Some of the Jailed Opposition Supporters
By The Public Lens
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni has pledged to grant pardon to some of the opposition supporters currently incarcerated in Ugandan jails.
The President made the remarks during the swearing-in ceremony of new ministers at State House Entebbe on Wednesday.
His commitment was prompted by a plea from Ali Kateregga, a NUP Councillor from Masaka, who urged Museveni to release the suspects currently in detention. Kateregga also pledged his support to the ruling party.
In response, Museveni expressed willingness to pardon the suspects as long as they promise to refrain from engaging in criminal activities in the future.
“We can look into the cases of people who were burning tyres on our roads and those who beat up people,” stated Museveni, referring to supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) who engaged in violent acts during the 2021 general elections. “But those who are accused of capital offences such as murders, it will be hard to set them free,” he added.
He emphasized the government’s investment in infrastructure and the protection of Ugandans’ lives, stating that releasing suspects involved in violence comes at a cost to taxpayers.
The court martial recently released two of the 11 NUP supporters accused of engaging in terrorist activities during the violent 2021 general election. Opposition Members of Parliament have been boycotting parliamentary proceedings since October to demand the release of their supporters allegedly held by security forces.
Balaam Barugahara, the State Minister of Gender and Children Affairs, had earlier promised to approach the President with a plea to release all young individuals, especially those supporting the opposition, particularly NUP supporters currently detained.
