Lukwago Pleads for Merciful Death If Treatment Is Denied, Tells Court Prison Is Killing Him

KAMPALA — Former Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago made an emotional appeal in court on Tuesday, saying he would rather be given medicine to end his life painlessly than continue suffering without access to treatment doctors say he urgently needs.
Lukwago appeared virtually from Luzira Prison via Zoom, as the assigned trial magistrate was not present and the standing-in judicial officer said he had no authority to handle the case. His lawyer, Medard Ssegona, objected to any adjournment without Lukwago being heard, citing his client’s critical condition.
Lukwago told court that specialists at Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he was hospitalised for nearly a week, had identified five serious conditions requiring urgent care. He said he has a lung condition that affects his breathing in poorly ventilated spaces, and that a shoulder-to-collarbone repair from surgery in April 2024 has broken again, with doctors recommending he return to the hospital that performed the original procedure — by now, he said, he should already be en route to India for specialised care.
He also said he had been diagnosed with a serious ear condition requiring stronger medication than what he is currently receiving in custody, along with a hernia needing surgery, persistent severe headaches, and an irregular heartbeat.
Lukwago further alleged that a special mattress and pillow recommended by his doctors were held up by prison authorities pending inspection, and that some medical equipment sent to him was damaged during security screening.
Describing his situation as untenable, Lukwago said continued incarceration in his current state amounts to a death sentence. He appealed for urgent help, saying he hopes not to die in pain — but that if treatment remains out of reach, he would prefer to be given something that lets him go without suffering. The remarks reportedly moved several people in the courtroom.
Ssegona asked the court to compel prison authorities to provide the medical care specialists have recommended, arguing that officials had previously pledged they could meet his client’s needs but had instead taken steps that worsened his condition. The matter remains pending before the trial magistrate.
Case background
Lukwago, 56, a Senior Advocate and president of the People’s Front for Freedom, was arrested on June 15 and charged with misprision of treason. Prosecutors allege that between 2021 and November 2024, he knew of an alleged plot involving his clients — opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye and Hajji Obeid Lutale Kamulegeya — to overthrow the government, but failed to report it. He denies the charge.
On June 23, Chief Magistrate Sarah Basemera denied him bail, ruling that his documented health issues, though genuine, did not outweigh concerns over his influence and the state’s ongoing investigations. She ordered his transfer to Mulago National Referral Hospital, where he remained from June 25 until his discharge on July 3.
Tuesday’s hearing had been expected to update the court on both his health and the state of investigations, following an earlier adjournment on June 30 when prison authorities said he was too weak to appear.
The case has drawn sustained attention from Uganda’s legal community, with the Uganda Law Society, the East Africa Law Society, and the Council of Bars and Law Societies of Europe all raising concerns over his detention and treatment.

SOURCE NILE POST