The Minister of Foreign Affairs Gen. Jeje Odongo has explained that discussions are going on between Uganda, Turkey and Interpol regarding the fate of Ugandan blogger Fred Kajubi Lumbuye who was arrested two weeks ago.
Appearing before Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Thursday, Gen. Odongo said that the situation and position regarding his status is a matter of discussions that are ongoing between Uganda, Turkey and Interpol.
According to Ugandan authorities, Lumbuye is in trouble for among others being the source of a rumour that dominated social media in July indicating that President Museveni was very ill and was admitted to a hospital in Germany. They further allege that the following days he took his allegations to even another level when he announced that Museveni had died from the hospital where he had been taken.
Speaking a few days later, President Museveni said the country has got another challenge of social media which needs to be dealt with urgently. He ordered security agencies to hunt down anybody who is trading rumours that he was dead and for those outside the country, their citizenship be revoked.
However, Nkunyingi Muwadda, the Kyadondo East MP who is also the Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs questioned whether Lumbuye was deported to Uganda or still in Turkey. He noted earlier reports by Okello Oryem, the State Minister for Foreign Affairs (International Affairs) indicating that Lumbuye had been deported.
In response, Oryem denied the reports saying that he had never said that Lumbuye was deported.
“I beg not to be misquoted by my colleague, the Shadow Minister. At no time, did I say that Lumbuye was deported, I said, he is supposed to be deported.. those were my specific words. I am very careful with my words,” said Oryem.
The Minister further denied that he never said that Lumbuye would be produced in the court of law in Uganda but rather, at an appropriate time be produced by the relevant offices in the court of law.
