The National Unity Platform (NUP) Diaspora leadership has revealed that up to date, they are yet to establish where Turkey based Ugandan blogger Fred Lumbuye is being held.
In a statement issued on Wednesday 11 August, 2021, Herman Ainebyona, the
NUP/People Power Diaspora Team Leader said they are working around the clock to locate the exact location where Lumbuye is being incarcerated in Turkey.
“We are yet to establish where he is being held currently. The law firm handling his case in Turkey asked for a fee which Ugandans at home and in the diaspora have been trying to raise these past two days.In order to establish the full facts around this case, Counsel Wameli Anthony and Counsel Muwadda Nkunyinji were dispatched to Turkey,” Ainebyona said.
He also noted that interactions between the Turkish Authorities, the legal team and Ugandans in Turkey are ongoing to ensure that Lumbuye regains his freedom.
” Mr. Lumbuye will appreciate the concern which all of you have shown towards his release. We appreciate the leaders who have taken the responsibility to advocate and work towards this objective.As we have repeatedly said, whatever facts we eventually establish, we are working tooth and nail to see that he is not deported to Uganda, especially since the regime in Kampala has expressed keen interest in having him in their hands.”
On Monday, NUP said it needed $71,000 (over Shs250m) to cater for the legal fees of Lumbuye.
This was disclosed by Mityana Municipality MP Francis Zaake, one of the top leaders at the Kamwokya based political party.
In a Facebook live video, Zaake said the required amount was to be paid to Lumbuye’s lawyer in turkey who is working around the clock to block his deportation to Uganda.
The legislator also disclosed that so far $20,000 (over Shs70m) has been collected through fundraising by NUP supporters in Uganda and abroad.
Meanwhile,Uganda Police said that Lumbuye was not in their custody.
While addressing the media, the force’s spokesperson Fred Enanga said that they however have 15 cases that they will bring against the controversial blogger once he is handed over to them.
“We don’t have Lumbuye but what we have are 15 case files against him. Don’t ask us if he is here or not because we don’t know but as soon as he is handed over to us we are ready, ” Enanga said.
“When he is handed over to us, we shall come out with the full statement. Whether he is in the country or not, as police once he is handed over to us we shall process him with the 15 file cases we have on him,” he added.
The prepared charges he said, include among others spreading harmful propaganda and terrorism videos, inciting violence and other cyber crimes.
Lumbuye was allegedly arrested last Wednesday in Turkey.
Following the development, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs Henry Okello Oryem, confirmed to journalists at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offices in Kampala last Friday that the plane transporting Lumbuye was expected to land the following day at Entebbe International Airport before he is charged with promoting sectarianism and instigating violence.
However, despite the Minister’s confirmation about Lumbuye’s deportation, the blogger is yet to be seen anywhere in Uganda.
NUP’s Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi also put government on spot to account for the whereabouts of controversial blogger.
“Three days ago, Foreign Affairs State Minister Henry Okello Oryem at a press conference said that political activist Fred Lumbuye was on a flight to Uganda having been deported by Turkey, and that on arrival, Uganda police would hold him and produce him in court to answer certain charges which charges he didn’t mention. It’s been three days since Fred was expected in the country but he hasn’t surfaced anywhere. Now that Uganda government officials were aware of the trip and said they would hold him for questioning on return, they should account for his whereabouts,” Ssenyonyi who is also the Nakawa West legislator said in a Facebook post on Monday.
He also explained why NUP leaders and supporters have been speaking out loud demanding for Lumbuye’s freedom.
” Some people have wondered why our leaders and supporters have spoken out loudly about Lumbuye. As NUP, we’re duty bound to speak out whenever anyone’s rights are violated. We even demanded that the rights of Sipapa be respected when he was arrested and detained incommunicado for days, even when last year he fired bullets at the gate of NUP offices in Kamwokya and injured one of our guards.We shall not tire until the rights of all Ugandans are respected.”
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