The National Unity Platform (NUP) has come out to distance itself from social media blogger Fred Lumbuye Kajjubi who was arrested yesterday.
Lumbuye has been described as a social media blogger and NUP propagandist who has been attacking Gen Yoweri Museveni’s government from his base in Turkey.
However, yesterday news circulated how Lumbuye had been arrested in Turkey, and arrest some NUP officials described as a kidnap.
A number of high-ranking NUP officials including party president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu came out to show their disinterest in the way Lumbuye was arrested.
There is fear that he might be extradited back to Uganda to face his charges ranging from announcing that President Museveni had died to announcing the Kabaka dead a few months ago.
Today 5th August 2021, NUP secretary-general David Rubongoya through his Facebook page came out to say that the party acknowledges Lumbuye is not a perfect person.
He added that they also know he’s made mistakes in the course of his work and the party do not agree with everything he does but all they are demanding for is that he shouldn’t be handed over to a criminal regime that tortures it’s critics.
Rubongoya further said that deporting Lumbuye from Turkey to Uganda would be handing him a death sentence since the government has been baying for his blood.
Lumbuye would never get a free and fair trial in Uganda where political opponents are subjected to kangaroo military trials, held incommunicado, and denied access to lawyers.
The NUP big fish went ahead to say that “if Turkey hands over Fred Lumbuye to Kampala, it will embolden the regime to go about hunting and hurting the hundreds if Ugandans who sought refuge in countries elsewhere.”
According to Rubongoya’s statement, Lumbuye is only able to loudly criticize the Ugandan regime in Uganda because he knows the fate of those who have tried to do it at home.
Furthermore, the NUP secretary-general said that they don’t have to necessarily agree with everything one does for them to fight for their rights and freedoms adding that they have even fought for the rights of those who have persecuted them in the past.
NUP’ s only plea is that people who run away from their countries over political disagreements should be accorded protection under international law.
“In short we are saying that if Lumbuye has committed any offenses under Turkish laws, he should be tried in Turkey and not handed over to a regime which has made a name for violating the rights and freedoms of those it lays its hands-on.” Part of Rubongoya’s statement read.
Lumbuye is a figure who has for long divided opinion among the NUP party officials.
Many people have criticized the party hierarchy for not condemning Lumbuye’s works saying it dents the party’s image.
However, one thing all the NUP honchos agree upon is that he should not be extradited to Uganda because he will face it rough.
The Uganda security officials have claimed the hype for capturing Lumbuye while other unconfirmed sources say his arrest has nothing to do with Ugandan security.
