KAMPALA — Kanyanya Chief Magistrate's Court has dismissed a mandatory bail application filed by National Unity Platform (NUP) Deputy Spokesperson Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro and adjourned his incitement to commit an offence case to June 19, 2026, following a dispute over the prosecution's disclosure of evidence.
Mufumbiro, who has spent more than 60 days on remand, had applied for mandatory bail during his previous court appearance on May 16. The court delivered its ruling on Friday, declining to release him.
Defence lawyer Kato Tumusiime criticized the decision, questioning the court's reliance on public interest considerations in denying bail.
"When the bail ruling was issued, it was dismissed citing issues of public interest. I don't know which public has an interest in denying Waiswa Mufumbiro a conditional release under the Constitution after spending more than 60 days on pretrial remand without the matter proceeding to hearing," Tumusiime told journalists after the court session.
The defence said the court had earlier directed the prosecution to make full disclosure of the evidence it intends to rely on during trial. However, according to Tumusiime, the state had only provided two witness statements and had not fully complied with the disclosure order.
"As we appeared today, the state had not made any further disclosure apart from the two statements they had already issued. We cannot properly prepare a defence, discuss the case with our client and proceed to trial without full disclosure," he said.
The defence subsequently objected to the commencement of the hearing, arguing that proceeding without full disclosure would prejudice the accused's right to a fair trial. The court agreed and adjourned the matter to June 19.
Tumusiime said the case highlights broader concerns about lengthy pretrial detention in Uganda.
"This is not only a trial for Waiswa Mufumbiro. It is a reflection of the situation facing many Ugandans who continue to rot on remand while their cases are repeatedly adjourned," he said.
In a separate matter, a case involving NUP supporters and leaders charged with unlawful drilling was also adjourned to June 26, 2026.
The defence team had sought a review of decisions by Grade One Magistrates dismissing bail applications for some of the accused persons. However, the matter was postponed after the prosecution requested additional time to file its response despite having already received the application electronically, according to the defence.
"We served the state electronically and they admitted receiving the application. Yet they sought more time to file a reply, and court granted the request," Tumusiime said.
Friday's proceedings took place under heavy security at Kanyanya Chief Magistrate's Court. Journalists, family members and supporters were reportedly denied access to the court premises as the accused persons were brought in for their respective hearings.
The adjournments mean that Mufumbiro's incitement case will return to court on June 19, while the unlawful drilling case involving other NUP supporters and leaders is scheduled to resume on June 26.