Ugandan president Yoweri Museveni’s Son Muhoozi Kainerugaba has come out to reveal that one of his supporters by the name Michael Mawanda is a political prisoner.
According to Muhoozi, Mawanda was taken to prison by the NRM party for supporting him.Muhoozi says that the supporter was from Bushenyi where his party’s influence is not very welcome and the NRM party dominates.
Muhoozi said that supporting him was the only crime Mawanda committed to be jailed. He has now demanded that he be freed.
“Michael Mawanda, is a political prisoner. He was taken to prison by some politically dilapitated people in NRM for the ‘great crime’ of supporting Muhoozi Kainerugaba in Bushenyi. That’s his only crime. Supporting me. Free Mawanda!” Muhoozi said.
“He was taken to prison by some politically dilapidated people in NRM for the ‘great crime’ of supporting Muhoozi Kainerugaba in Bushenyi. That’s his only crime. Supporting me. Free Mawanda!” Muhoozi declared.
Mawanda, alongside Busiki County MP Paul Akamba and former Trade Ministry Permanent Secretary Geraldine Ssali, is currently facing charges related to the Shs7 billion corruption case.
All remain on remand, much to the apparent frustration of General Muhoozi, who expressed that “Mzee [his father, President Museveni] should hear our cry for change.”
General Muhoozi, who previously sparked outrage in Kenya with his controversial tweets in 2022, has positioned himself as a campaigner for civic reforms under the PLU banner, which he claims rallies the youth to promote patriotism and fight corruption.
However, his recent statements appear to contradict the ethos of the PLU, as he described Mawanda—a figure whose guilt or innocence is still under judicial review—as a political prisoner.
So far, the Judiciary and the Uganda Law Society have not commented on General Muhoozi’s remarks and how they might impact the independence of the judiciary and the ongoing legal process. On social media, however, the reactions have been mixed.
