KAMPALA.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy spokesperson, Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro will not be able bury his wife Edith Katende Mufumbiro tomorrow ,Saturday after a magistrate’s court at Kanyanya, Kawempe Division denied him bail.
The former Nakawa East MP aspirant has been denied bail several times by the court while his wife was battling terminal cancer.
Tragically, Katende passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, April 8, 2026, without her husband by her side. Following her death, Mufumbiro made a final humanitarian appeal to the Chief Justice for temporary release to attend her burial.
Mufumbiro, who is currently on remand, had appealed to court to grant him bail if only briefly to pay his last respects and support his bereaved children.
“I humbly ask this honourable court to grant me temporary release so I can bury my wife and stand with my children in this difficult time,” Mufumbiro said in his application.
However, in a ruling delivered via a Zoom videoconferencing session, the Chief Magistrate Doreen Ainembabazi dismissed the application, citing the gravity of the charges and the likelihood that Mr Mufumbiro could abscond if released.
“The offence the applicant is charged with is serious and attracts a maximum sentence of up to 10 years’ imprisonment upon conviction. Given the severity of the punishment, the court finds a high risk that the accused may not return for trial if released on bail,” Ms Ainembabazi ruled.
The magistrate also rejected Mufumbiro’s proposed sureties, who included his father, a retired magistrate, Moses Baligeya and Lord Mayor-elect, Eng. Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga.
The court heard that investigations into the case are complete and that the prosecution is ready to proceed with a speedy trial.
“The state is ready to proceed, and this matter should be disposed of expeditiously,” the magistrate added.
Mufumbiro faces charges of allegedly inciting NUP supporters to commit acts of violence against security personnel.
“The applicant lost his dear wife and he was only pleading for temporary relief to enable him attend her burial following her dying declaration. This court has said it does not have the constitutional mandate, discretion, the benevolence, kindness and compassion to release hounourable Waiswa Mufumbiro on bail b because of the political nature of the case before it,” Mufumbiro’s lawyer, Samuel Muyizzi Mulindwa told journalists after the court proceedings.
According to him, this was one of the rarest moments the judiciary had to redeem itself before the public.
“Even the act of denying the public to participate; first by appearing through zoom, they had a link which was supposed to be public. When they realised it was public, they disconnected it. Additionally, they denied the media to attend. So, it’s justice hidden, justice denied in a Kangaroo way is not by the rule of law, but the rule of political instructions,” Mr Muyizzi said.
Mufumbiro’s previous attempts to get bail were denied on grounds that his release could interfere with ongoing investigations and/or that his sureties were not substantial.
He was on October 30, 2025, charged with incitement to commit an offence contrary to Section 21(1) of the Penal Code Act.
According to the charge sheet, he allegedly incited National Unity Platform supporters on September 4, 2025, within Kampala City, to commit offences against security personnel, including calls to commit murder.
He is also facing additional charges of holding an unlawful assembly and military drilling alongside ten others.
Prosecution alleges that Mufumbiro and his co-accused conducted a meeting where individuals were trained in military-style exercises without authorisation from the Minister of Internal Affairs, contrary to Section 45 of the Penal Code Act.