The National Unity Platform (NUP) Deputy Presidents for Northern Uganda, Dr. Lina Zedriga, Western Uganda Jolly Jacklyn Tukamushaba, and NUP’s Election Management Committee member John Mary Ssebuwufu have been charged with inciting violence, three weeks after they went missing.
The Gulu Magistrates’ court on Friday charged 68 year old Dr Lina Zedriga with incitement of violence; however, she was not allowed to take a plea since the prosecution informed the court that the case against her was still under investigation before remanding her to prison until February 17, 2026, when she will be brought before the same court for mention of the case.
NUP’s Deputy President for Western Uganda, Jolly Jacklyn Tukamushaba, has been arraigned before the Kabale Magistrates Court, where she was also charged with incitement of violence.
According to the prosecution, in December 2025 and January 2026, at various locations in Western Uganda, including Rukiga, Kabale, and Rukungiri, Tukamushaba allegedly incited people to commit acts of violence, specifically targeting supporters of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) due to their political affiliation.
Tukamushaba has been remanded until February 24, when the case will come up again for hearing.
The missing member of NUP’s Election Management Committee member John Mary Ssebuwufu, has also been produced at Nakawa Magistrates Court and charged with inciting violence.
The trio now join the NUP Vice President for the Central Region and Butambala County Member of Parliament Muwanga Kivumbi, who is facing charges of terrorism.
However, the Judiciary’s charging of the three stalwart members of the National Unity Platform three weeks after they were picked by security personnel has been condemned online.
The Party’s Secretary General, David Lewis Rubongoya, has since called the arraignment of the NUP members in courts of law without the knowledge of their lawyers a ‘sickening’ abuse of power.
Dr. Lina Zedriga was remanded until February 17, while Jolly Jacklyn Tukamushaba was remanded until February 24. Both were produced in court without the knowledge of their lawyers.
The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, called the incitement of violence charges placed against the NUP leaders ridiculous.
“Comrades Lina Zedriga and John Mary Ssebuwufu were also abducted over three weeks ago and held in incommunicado military detention all this while. The state denied having them, but we kept demanding that they be produced because we knew they had them in spite of the pretence! Now they have all been quietly taken to court and slapped with ridiculous charges of inciting violence! Time will absolve us as a citizenry, TIME!” he posted on his X handle.
