This archive report was first published on 4 September 2021.
On September 3, 2021, Ugandan security forces arrested Lawrence Muganga, 45, vice-chancellor of the private Victoria University, on accusations of spying for regional rival Rwanda. The arrest sparked widespread concern among Ugandans and the international community.
According to a military spokeswoman, Muganga was detained on charges of 'espionage and illegal stay.' However, his release on September 4, 2021, was facilitated by President Yoweri Museveni after a prominent businessman, Frank Gashumba, raised the case with the president.
Video footage from university security cameras showed Muganga being taken from his Kampala office by armed plain clothes men and uniformed soldiers and put into a van known as a 'drone,' which is associated with abductions of government opponents.
After his release, Muganga expressed gratitude to those who supported him, saying, 'I want to thank each and everyone out there for your peace, your support, your activism.'
