Foreign Affairs Minister Jeje Odong has clashed with his deputy, Okello Oryem over the whereabouts of blogger and ardent supporter of National Unity Platform (NUP) Fred Kajubi Lumbuye.
Lumbuye was earlier this month arrested at the Ugandan Embassy in Istanbul, Turkey where he had gone to renew his passport. Since then, Lumbuye has not been seen anywhere despite all efforts made by NUP lawyers in Uganda and Turkey.
Upon arrest, Oryem confirmed that the blogger was to deported to Uganda. A plane aboard Lumbuye was expected to touchdown at Entebbe International airport on 7th August 2021.
“Lumbuye will be in Uganda tomorrow morning. On arrival he will be put in custody and later brought to book for inciting sectarianism using social media,” the minister said earlier.
Appearing before Foreign Affairs Committee of Parliament Oryem denied earlier statements he made noting that at no time did he say that Lumbuye was deported. “I said he is supposed to be deported,” he said.
Jeje Odongo however said that Fred Lumbuye’s deportation from Turkey is still a discussion between the Ugandan government and that of Turkey.
Lumbuye is accused of peddling lies that President Museveni was ill and admitted to a hospital in Germany. This was followed by the claims that Museveni had died.
During the swearing in ceremony of ministers, Museveni said the country has got another challenge of social media, which urgently needs to be dealt with. He ordered security agencies to hunt down anybody who was trading rumors that he was dead and for those outside the country, their citizenship be revoked.
