The Minister of Youth, Hon. Balaam Barugahara, has dismissed allegations by Ms. Olivia Lutaaya, one of the recently pardoned National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters, that she was pressured into pleading guilty. Speaking to journalists in Kampala, the minister tabled letters allegedly signed by 19 NUP detainees requesting his assistance in securing a presidential pardon under the Mercy Law.
“These individuals admitted their guilt to avoid prolonged legal battles and seek reduced sentences. I merely forwarded their pleas to the President, who granted the pardons following a committee’s recommendations,” Barugahara stated.
Among those released was Ms. Lutaaya, who has since accused the minister of coercion.
One letter, dated October 15 and bearing Ms. Lutaaya’s thumbprint, reads in part, “I have been convicted by this honourable court on the charges I committed... I apologize for my unlawful actions and request forgiveness.” Similar letters were signed by the other detainees, collectively and individually, requesting reintegration into society.
The controversy began after Ms. Lutaaya claimed Minister Barugahara visited her at Luzira Women’s Prison and urged her to plead guilty, warning of indefinite detention if she refused. “I pleaded guilty in court only because I wanted my freedom,” Lutaaya said.
In response, Barugahara attributed her remarks to inadequate post-release psychological support, calling for structured reintegration programs for former detainees. “Prison authorities must provide psychiatric care and counselling to help these individuals transition back into society,” he said, pledging to propose the initiative to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The minister also refuted claims of political coercion, emphasizing that the pardons were acts of goodwill. “They sought my help, and I assisted them. Her allegations are uncoordinated, but I won’t blame her. The lack of psychiatric care for such individuals is our failing,” he said.
NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi, however, criticized the government’s actions, accusing it of orchestrating the arrests and detentions for political gain. “These individuals were detained without evidence, then forced to plead guilty, and now the government wants applause for releasing them. This is unacceptable,” he said, demanding unconditional releases and compensation for the detainees.
Senior lawyer Peter Walubiri pointed to circumstantial evidence supporting claims of coercion.
“The pattern of restricted visits, dropped lawyers, and sudden guilty pleas suggests a coordinated effort to construct a narrative against NUP leadership,” Walubiri noted, calling for further investigation.
The dispute has left the public questioning the true circumstances behind the detainees’ guilty pleas and subsequent pardons.
