BREAKING: Noah Mutwe Granted Bail
The Buganda Road Chief Magistrate’s Court has this morning granted bail to Noah Mitala, popularly known as Noah Mutwe, a close associate of opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), after weeks in custody under unclear circumstances.
Chief Magistrate Ronald Kayizzi ordered Mutwe’s release on a cash bail of Shs5 million, while each of his sureties was bonded at Shs50 million non-cash.
As part of the bail terms, Mutwe is barred from leaving the country without court permission.
This was his second bail attempt, following a May arrest that sparked public outrage and allegations of politically motivated persecution.
The State has yet to disclose any evidence against Mutwe, and the hearing of the case has not commenced.
There is heavy security around the court.
Mutwe’s detention drew widespread attention after reports emerged on May 15 that he had been violently abducted from his home in Gombe by unknown operatives in a numberless vehicle.
The National Unity Platform accused state security agencies of orchestrating the abduction, which came just weeks after a similar incident involving Eddie Mutwe, Bobi Wine’s head of security.
While authorities remained silent on Noah Mutwe’s whereabouts for days, civil society groups and the Uganda Human Rights Commission raised alarm over what they described as illegal detentions and the growing use of state violence against political dissidents.
NUP President Bobi Wine had earlier described the abduction as “a tactic of fear” and “a gross violation of constitutional rights.”
Today’s court ruling is seen as a partial relief by the opposition, but concerns remain about the lack of transparency in Mutwe’s detention and the State’s delay in presenting formal charges or evidence.
The case returns to court later this year, with critics warning that such politically charged arrests are likely to intensify as Uganda approaches the 2026 general elections.
