Uganda Today: Welcome Back Comrade Noah Mutwe: Outrage Over Prohibitive Bail and Continued Detention of Political Prisoners
By Uganda Today Reporter
Published: July 23, 2025
Kampala, Uganda – The return of opposition activist and People Power mobilizer Noah Mitala, popularly known as Noah Mutwe, from incarceration has stirred both celebration and renewed outrage among supporters of political freedom in Uganda. Mutwe, who had been held on remand over what critics call “trumped-up charges,” was finally released on bail set at UGX 5 million, a figure many have decried as unjust and exclusionary.
“Noah Mutwe’s return is a moment of joy and resistance. But his story is also a reminder of the broader structural injustices embedded in Uganda’s judicial and political systems,” said a statement issued by activists affiliated with the National Unity Platform (NUP).
The bail amount, which amounts to several months’ wages for an average Ugandan, has drawn sharp condemnation from civil society and legal observers. “Prohibitive bail is a form of punishment in itself. It defeats the constitutional presumption of innocence,” noted human rights lawyer Eron Kiiza. “Expensive justice is no justice.”
Mutwe had been detained for an extended period without trial, part of what opposition groups argue is a pattern of politically motivated arrests meant to stifle dissent ahead of the 2026 general elections.
His release has reignited calls for the immediate and unconditional freedom of all political prisoners—a term used by opposition actors to describe those arrested for their political affiliations or activism, particularly supporters of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine).
“While we welcome our comrade back, we remain deeply disturbed by the systemic abuse of the judiciary to silence voices of change,” said one NUP organizer who was present at the celebratory gathering following Mutwe’s release. “We will not rest until all political prisoners are free.”
Observers point out that the Ugandan government has intensified repression through arbitrary arrests, prolonged detention, and selective application of justice, especially targeting youth leaders and vocal critics of the regime.
As the nation inches closer to another highly anticipated election cycle, activists, lawyers, and international observers are warning that unless Uganda reforms its justice system and respects civil liberties, the space for political expression will continue to shrink—at great cost to the country’s democracy.
Uganda Today joins all peace-loving Ugandans in welcoming back Comrade Noah Mutwe, while calling on the judiciary and security organs to uphold justice, equity, and constitutional freedoms for all.
#JusticeForAll #FreePoliticalPrisoners #NoahMutwe #ExpensiveJustice #NUP #Uganda2026 #PeoplePower
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