Tugume resurfaced on Friday, when it emerged that he had regained his freedom and later publicly addressed the controversy that led to his arrest. His disappearance had sparked concern among colleagues, lawyers, human rights advocates and members of the public, who repeatedly called on authorities to disclose where he was being held.
His release came days after journalist Stanley Ndawula published an emotional open letter addressed to Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, appealing for mercy and asking that Tugume be allowed to return to his family.
In the letter, Ndawula acknowledged that Tugume’s remarks had crossed the line but urged the CDF to forgive him.
“However, we know you as a leader with a good and forgiving heart when you choose to,” Ndawula wrote.
He added:
“Whether Gideon is still alive or dead (the latter because he was depending on self-injectable insulin which he wasn’t allowed to carry with him), we still seek your mercy.”
Ndawula also apologised on behalf of Tugume’s family, friends and colleagues.
“I’m hereby taking collective responsibility to apologize to you Sir, on behalf of his family, his friends and colleagues at work. We may not pledge anything on his behalf but we promise to watch him well if he’s given another chance to freedom,” he wrote.
The journalist further noted that Tugume had previously supported Operation Maliza Usadi despite what he described as isolated moments when he stepped outside professional boundaries.
Tugume was arrested on July 6 at his home in Gayaza, Wakiso District, by armed men travelling in a vehicle commonly referred to as a “drone.”
His arrest followed controversial remarks made during a live Radio 4 programme in which he questioned whether Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba was President Yoweri Museveni’s biological son and suggested that a DNA test be conducted.
The comments quickly spread on social media, attracting widespread criticism and condemnation from supporters of the Chief of Defence Forces.
For nearly two weeks, neither his family nor his lawyers publicly knew where he was being held, prompting growing concern from legal practitioners and human rights advocates, who demanded that security agencies account for his whereabouts.
As pressure mounted, the circumstances surrounding his detention became the subject of public debate, with some calling for due process while others criticised the remarks that had triggered his arrest.
Following his release, Tugume appeared on Radio 4, where he publicly apologised to Gen. Muhoozi for the statements that sparked the controversy.
His release has ended days of uncertainty over his disappearance, although questions remain about the circumstances surrounding his detention and subsequent release.