Bobi Wine defends his ties with Jamil Mukulu

During a bailout application on September 7, 2020 that was denied by Justice Susan Okalany, Jamil Mukulu asked his mother and family to pledge allegiance to Robert Kyagulanyi’s National Unity Platform (NUP) party.

The leader of the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) that afternoon broke down before his mother in a surprise display of emotion.

READ: Who is ADF’s Jamil Mukulu?

With the microphones switched off, it was left to Anthony Wemali—the defence lead counsel—to divulge the message Mukulu wanted to convey to his mother. 

“He has said that from here go and collect his siblings and take them to register under NUP of Kyagulanyi,”  Mr Wemali said.

During a press conference at Kamwokya yesterday, Mr Kyagulanyi, alias Bobi Wine—not for the first time—publicly offered Mukulu support.

“…We have been framed in many instances, we are opponents of Museveni, why would it be hard for us to believe that Jamil Mukulu could also be framed by the same regime for opposing it and for opposing it in a very effective way like they opposed the Obote regime?”  Bobi Wine asked.

He added: “I will mention this that Jamil was arrested [seven] years ago and up to now he has not been tried and so in the absence of a fair trial, you have not conditioned us to side with you Mr Museveni and your friends. We are still going to demand for a fair trial in the issue of Jamil Mukulu.”

Mr Jameson Karemani, the Judiciary spokesperson, however told Daily Monitor that Mukulu is still incarcerated because the investigation process is yet to reach its logical conclusion. 

“Of course, it does not take only the Judiciary to handle that matter,” he said, adding: “It takes investigations and that means the police are also involved. We are handling the matter. The Judiciary is at the tail of this matter.”

ALSO READ: Jamil Mukulu case: Uganda’s trial of the century

Last week, Bobi Wine took to his social media accounts to express his displeasure at how Mukulu’s case is being handled.

“We oppose terrorist actions in Uganda and anywhere in the world. The NUP government would spare no effort to cooperate with the world in fighting terrorism,” he said, adding: “But we believe terrorism must not be used as a pretext to violate human rights and purse illegitimate political objectives.”

Bobi Wine indicated yesterday that he is aware of alleged torture claims of Mukulu while in incarceration. 

Mr Karemani,  however, said the claims should be directed to officials from “prisons.’’ The relevant officials were not available by press time.

“The issue is not about the legal consequences but this has been his talk of respect for human rights of everyone regardless of what they are viewed as in the society. Kyagulanyi is protecting Mukulu from torture and asking for justice to prevail,” Ms Shamim Malende, the Kampala Woman MP, who is also the Shadow minister for Justice, told Daily Monitor.

Mr David Lewis Rubongoya, the NUP  Secretary-General, said: “I saw these mothers crying, all of them outside the court martial the other day and it was very disturbing. Outside the military court, they were wailing because their children were being taken back into detention without even giving them a date when they will come back.”

He added: “So the challenge is to the Supreme Court and [Chief Justice] Mr Owiny-Dollo and his people because the constitutional court already decided that trying civilians in military courts is unconstitutional and the state appealed to the Supreme Court. Up to now there has been no hearing for that case.”

Background
Jamil Mukulu was arrested in Tanzania in 2015 before he was extradited to Uganda later that year. He and 37 others are battling charges of terrorism, murder, aggravated robbery, aiding and abetting terrorism and crimes against humanity.

Others are attempted murder and belonging to a terrorist organisation. The prosecution alleges that the accused and others still at large committed the crimes between 2011 and 2015 in various parts of the country.