The National Unity Platform (NUP) has defended supporters who accepted plea bargain agreements after spending years in detention without trial, saying the decisions were driven by desperation rather than an admission of guilt.
In a statement issued on July 8, 2026, the opposition party said more than 150 of its supporters remain in detention while facing what it described as politically motivated or “trumped-up” charges.
According to NUP, repeated denial of bail applications, coupled with public remarks by Yoweri Museveni discouraging the release of some detainees, has left many prisoners with few legal options.
The party said that under such circumstances, some supporters chose to enter plea bargain agreements or plead guilty—not because they committed the alleged offences, but because it offered the fastest path to freedom after years behind bars awaiting trial.
NUP urged its members and the wider public not to condemn those who accepted plea bargains, arguing that the realities of prolonged detention can compel individuals to make difficult decisions in order to reunite with their families and rebuild their lives.
At the same time, the party commended supporters who have continued to maintain their innocence despite remaining in custody, describing them as heroes for standing by their convictions.
However, NUP stressed that the true measure of every detainee should be judged by their conduct after regaining their freedom, rather than the legal route they took to secure their release.
The statement has once again brought renewed attention to concerns over prolonged detention, access to justice, and the legal challenges facing opposition supporters in Uganda.
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8th July, 2026
STATEMENT ON PLEA BARGAINS INVOLVING SOME NUP POLITICAL PRISONERS
As the nation knows, over 150 supporters of the National Unity Platform are currently in detention over trumped-up charges. Some of these comrades have been in prison for years.
Our… pic.twitter.com/2rgdhpDb4K
— National Unity Platform (@NUP_Ug) July 8, 2026
