Dr Zedriga appearing before Court.
Gulu, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Women legislators, human rights activists, and political leaders in Gulu City have condemned the arrest and prosecution of National Unity Platform (NUP) Deputy President in charge of Northern Uganda, Dr Lina Zedriga Waru. They describe the charges as politically motivated and a growing threat to democratic space for female leaders in the country.
Dr Zedriga, 64, who reportedly went missing from her Kampala home nearly a month ago, a day after the general election, resurfaced on Friday last week at the Gulu High Court circuit in Gulu City. She was arraigned before the Gulu Chief Magistrate, Augustine Alulel, where charges of inciting violence contrary to Section 79(1) of the Penal Code Act were slapped on her.
Prosecutors allege that in December 2025, at various locations across Northern Uganda, including Gulu, Amuru, Omoro, and Nwoya districts Dr Zedriga incited members of the public to commit acts of violence against supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) based on political affiliation. She was subsequently remanded to Gulu Main without legal representation.
Her arrest, incommunicado detention, and court charges have, however, drawn sharp criticism from women leaders across political and civil society spaces in Northern Uganda. Betty Aol Ocan, the Vice Chairperson of the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) in charge of Northern Uganda, described the charges as trumped-up and called for Dr Zedriga’s unconditional release.
Speaking to Uganda Radio Network, Aol said the manner of Dr Zedriga’s arrest and her alleged incommunicado detention undermine democratic freedoms guaranteed to political actors. She noted that Dr Zedriga, like other opposition political figures such as Muwanga Kivumbi, the National Unity Platform (NUP) Vice President for Buganda, and Rtd Col Dr Kizza Besigye, are being held in custody on trumped-up charges and demanded they be freed.
The former leader of the opposition in parliament added that women leaders in the region plan to mobilise and visit Dr Zedriga in custody as a show of solidarity.
Amuru District Woman Member of Parliament-elect Lucy Akello also faulted the handling of the case, saying the prolonged detention before court appearance raises serious legal and human rights concerns.
Akello says while she cannot confirm or deny whether Dr Zedriga committed the alleged offence since she has not seen any evidence, legal processes must be followed after the arrest of an individual.
Human rights activist and opinion leader in Gulu City, Rosalba Oywa, also questioned the basis of the charges, saying they contradict Dr Zedriga’s long-standing work in peace building and women’s rights.
“I don’t understand how they determined that she incited violence. Dr Zedriga has been my personal friend and colleague. We have worked together for years on people’s rights, women’s rights, conflict transformation, and peace building,” Oywa told Uganda Radio Network on Tuesday.
Oywa said she has not seen any public evidence linking Dr Zedriga to acts of violence and described the charges as part of a broader pattern of intimidation of opposition figures. “In Uganda today, you can simply wake up and find yourself being charged. This looks like a political motive to silence or intimidate her because of the position she holds,” said Oywa.
She further expressed shock that Dr Zedriga was produced in Gulu, noting that much of her political and professional work has been based in Kampala. Dr Zedriga was remanded last week to Gulu main Prison and is expected to return before the Gulu Chief Magistrate court on February 17. However, Uganda Radio Network has learnt that Dr Zedriga was secretly transported out of the Prison to Luzira Maximum Prison over the weekend.
The officer incharge of Gulu Main Prison, Ronald Mutebi, confirmed Zedriga was briefly detained at the female section of the prison before being transferred to Kampala. “She wasn’t brought to Gulu main; Gulu main is only for men, she was taken to Gulu women. But at least the information I got was that she was taken to Kampala,” Mutebi told Uganda Radio Network.
The 64-year-old former magistrate reportedly went missing on January 16 from her home in Kampala shortly after the Presidential polls, whose results have been rejected by her party members. President Yoweri Museveni, the NRM Chairperson, was declared the winner of the contested election by the Electoral Commission, defeating his closest rival and two-time presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, the leader of the NUP party. President Museveni, who is in his seventh term, got 71.65 percent while Kyagulanyi who remains in hiding got 24.72 percent votes.
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