Tension briefly flared at Kawempe Magistrates Court on Tuesday after a scuffle broke out between a Uganda Prisons officer and a National Unity Platform (NUP) supporter, Olivia Lutaaya, as detained party members were being escorted within the court premises.
The incident occurred as several NUP members, including Deputy Party Spokesperson Waiswa Mufumbiro, were brought back to court following an earlier appearance in which they were denied mandatory bail.
The group had been remanded pending further proceedings.
The accused arrived at court singing and chanting NUP party songs and their anthem, an act supporters described as a show of resilience and defiance.
The chants echoed through the court compound as the detainees were led in under heavy security.
However, the situation momentarily escalated when a prisons officer was seen pushing Olivia Lutaaya during the escort.
The action prompted an exchange that drew immediate attention from lawyers and other court attendees.
Addressing the incident, lawyer Kato Tumusiime condemned the officer’s conduct, describing it as unprofessional and unethical.
“Why do you have to push someone who can move and has not even refused? That’s unethical, and the officer should revise her behavior,” Tumusiime said.
The legal team representing the NUP supporters argued that there was no justification for the use of force, noting that Lutaaya had not resisted instructions from the officer.
Court officials intervened to calm the situation, and proceedings later continued. By press time, no official comment had been issued by the Uganda Prisons Service regarding the conduct of the officer involved.
The case remains ongoing as the accused await the court’s decision on bail, while NUP leaders and supporters continue to protest what they describe as harassment and unfair treatment of opposition members within the justice system.
