KAMPALA
Former Ethics and Integrity Minister Dr. Miria Matembe has been remanded to Luzira Prison after being charged with promoting sectarianism over remarks she allegedly made about members of the Banyankole community.
Matembe appeared before Grade One Magistrate Sheilla Gloria Atim at the Luzira Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, where the prosecution accused her of making statements likely to promote hatred, hostility and ill will against a section of Ugandans based on ethnicity.
The charges stem from comments she allegedly made during a televised political discussion on DK TV Uganda earlier this month. Prosecutors told the court that the remarks were widely circulated on social media and attracted public concern because of their alleged sectarian nature.
According to the prosecution, Matembe claimed that government resources and opportunities were disproportionately benefiting members of the Banyankole community. Investigators contend that the remarks contravened Uganda's laws prohibiting sectarianism.
The charges
Matembe denied the charges.
She appeared in court accompanied by supporters and members of her legal team led by Uganda Law Society Vice President Anthony Asiimwe, alongside lawyers Samuel Muyizi and Steven Kalali.
The defence asked the court to grant Matembe bail, citing her advanced age, deteriorating health and permanent place of residence. Counsel also argued that she had fully cooperated with investigators and had voluntarily appeared before court.
Matembe appeared very weak in court
However, Magistrate Atim declined to release her immediately, saying the court required medical documentation to support the defence's claims regarding her health.
The magistrate consequently remanded Matembe to Luzira Prison and adjourned the matter to Wednesday for the hearing of her bail application.
The proceedings attracted political activists, lawyers and journalists, many of whom gathered outside the court after the ruling.
Some opposition supporters criticised the prosecution, describing it as politically motivated and intended to intimidate outspoken government critics. Others defended the charges, arguing that public figures have a responsibility to exercise caution when making public statements on issues relating to ethnicity and identity.
Dr. Matembe remains one of Uganda's most prominent female political figures. Once a close ally of President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, she later became one of his outspoken critics, frequently commenting on corruption, governance and constitutionalism.
Her arrest and remand add to a growing list of political leaders and civic actors facing prosecution over controversial public statements in Uganda.
