Minister Oryem: Ugandans should celebrate Lumbuye’s arrest

State Minister for Foreign Affairs, Okello Oryem has said that Ugandans should celebrate the arrest of ‘toxic’ blogger Fred Lumbuye.

https://nilepost.co.ug/2021/08/04/toxic-blogger-lumbuye-arrested-in-turkey/

Oryem, while addressing journalists at the Uganda Media Centre on Wednesday morning, said that ‘criminals’ if arrested, should not be sympathised with.

“Every one of you would be jubilating that this person (Lumbuye) committed a crime and he has been arrested and is being brought before thr courts of law but it seems like you are sympathising with him,” Oryem said.

The minister, although lacking details on Lumbuye’s arrest, said that if he has indeed been arrested, then he deserves it because of the crimes he has committed.

Oryem said that no one should think that they are ‘untouchable’ no matter where they are based around the world. Oryem said if Lumbuye broke the law, let him pay the price.

“Anybody who commits a crime in any country whatsoever will pay the price for committing crime, that person you are talking about is not special. Who is he to think that he is above the law?” Oryem added.

Sources in Istanbul, Turkey claim that Lumbuye was arrested when he tried to renew his expired passport at the Ugandan Embassy in Turkey.

They said that Lumbuye sent his passport, but officials seized it, prompting him to show up. He was then arrested.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement, saying that by press time, the Ugandan Embassy in Ankara was yet to receive official communication from the relevant law enforcement authorities in Turkey in regard to this case.

Security agencies and police have in the past few months called Lumbuye ‘toxic’ and warned that he would be arrested for spreading propaganda on government officials via his Facebook and YouTube channels.

Lumbuye has been popular on social media where he is a renown anti - government activist.