Eleven supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) will have to wait until Thursday to learn their fate as the International Crimes Division of the High Court prepares to deliver a ruling on whether charges against them will proceed to trial.
The group, accused of terrorism and manufacturing improvised explosive devices (IEDs), appeared briefly before pre-trial judge Alice Komuhangi Khaukha on Monday.
The judge announced that the long-awaited ruling on the confirmation of charges will be delivered on May 22.
Among the accused is Umar Magala, a former NUP flag bearer in the Kawempe North by-election primaries and a known activist.
Others include Hamidu Muyobi, Abdallah Katumba, Muhamod Kalyango, Male Sulaiman Kyewalabye, Wilber Kairugara, Abdu Katumba, Issa Makumbi, and Hamidu Ssekide.
Out of the eleven, only two — including Magala — are currently out on bail. They were released in December 2024 after spending 18 months in detention.
The remaining nine have now been on remand for over two years.
The state alleges that on May 8, 2023, the accused, along with others still at large, orchestrated a plan to overthrow President Museveni’s government.
The prosecution claims they were involved in manufacturing explosives and plotting a coup.
The case has drawn widespread attention, with human rights activists and opposition leaders decrying the prolonged detention of the suspects without a confirmed trial.
Thursday’s ruling is expected to determine whether the evidence presented by the prosecution is sufficient to commit the accused to a full trial.
As the countdown to the ruling begins, supporters and critics alike are watching closely — seeing the verdict as a potential litmus test for Uganda’s judicial independence and political tolerance.