Fifteen members of the National Unity Platform (NUP) accused of defacing campaign posters belonging to President Museveni have been remanded again, following a request by the prosecution for more time to respond to a defence application seeking dismissal of the case.
During a hearing at the High Court in Kampala, the defence cited Section 78(2) of the Presidential Elections Act, which stipulates that it is only an offence to deface campaign materials if the candidate has been officially nominated by the Electoral Commission.
One of the accused’s lawyers, Mr Haruna Nsibuka, argued that since President Museveni has not yet been nominated as a candidate in the 2026 elections, the charges are “defective and frivolous.”
“You know very well that our people were arrested on charges of defacing posters of Museveni as a presidential candidate. But Mr Museveni has not yet been confirmed by the Electoral Commission. That alone makes the charges unconstitutional,” Nsibuka told reporters after the hearing.
The accused, who include boda boda riders, welders, and small business owners from the Kibumbiro zone in Busega, were arrested on July 14, 2025.
They are accused of deliberately destroying Museveni’s campaign posters ahead of his scheduled visit to parts of Kampala.
NUP Secretary General Lewis Rubongoya condemned the arrests, calling them politically motivated and intended to suppress opposition activity.
“These charges are inherently defective. This is just persecution, not prosecution. Our people have spent a long time in detention for simply being NUP supporters,” Rubongoya said.
“Most were arrested from their homes. It’s sad that a judicial officer can entertain such charges.”
Families of the accused have also spoken out, insisting their relatives are innocent and demanding their release.
The High Court adjourned the matter to August 14, 2025, to allow the prosecution time to respond to the defence application.
In the meantime, the accused will return to Mengo Magistrates Court for a separate bail hearing.