Veteran politician and former Ethics Minister Dr. Miria Matembe has been released from Luzira Prison after court granted her non-cash bail, correcting earlier reports that she had been required to pay UGX 3 million to secure her freedom.
The initial reports caused confusion, with many believing the 73-year-old had been granted cash bail. However, it was later clarified that the court issued a non-cash bond, allowing her to walk free immediately without making any monetary payment.
Matembe, who appeared in court looking visibly frail and in poor health, is facing charges of promoting sectarianism over remarks she allegedly made during a June 2026 interview on DK TV Uganda.
Prosecutors claim that comments she made during the interview promoted hostility against members of the Banyankole community. She has denied the allegations.
Her court appearance followed a dramatic week in which security operatives reportedly raided her Luzira residence, prompting her to briefly go into hiding before she was eventually arrested and arraigned.
During the bail hearing, her legal team argued that Matembe’s advanced age, deteriorating health, and constitutional right to be presumed innocent until proven guilty justified her release while awaiting trial.
The court agreed, granting her a non-cash bond instead of ordering a cash payment.
