The fundraising campaign aimed at helping the former FDC Parliamentary candidate for Bulamogi Constituency Simon Muyanga Lutaaya get out prison was launched yesterday.
This was after the High Court in Jinja on Monday sent Muyanga to Kirinya Prison, Jinja after failing to pay the petition costs. The vocal Journalist has been sentenced to six months.
Muyanga filed an election petition contesting the ruling National Resistance Movement party (NRM)’s Kenneth Lubogo’s victory but he lost both cases at Jinja High Court and Court of Appeal.
Muyanga hosts a number of talk shows on NBS Television, prominent among which is One on One with Tamale Mirundi, the flamboyant former presidential advisor.
Court billed the petition costs at sh300m and by the time Muyanga was detained at the prison, the former minister Asuman Kiyingi, who is the chairperson of Save Muyanga Lutaaya campaign committee, said he had balance of shs57m, to clear.
“As his friends, we started this fundraising initiative to have him released and also champion a drive to raise the required petition legal costs,” Kiyingi said, a statement released.
Other members of the committee Paul Luganda, the deputy chairperson, former LC5 chairperson Salaam Musumba, who is the Treasurer, Sam Ibanda Mugabi his Work Representative and Kungu Al-mahadi Adam as the Media Coordinator and Secretary to the Committee.
Kiyingi said at the launch of the campaign, many Ugandans responded to their call, encouraging them to keep up the spirit.
He added that his committee is to continue to make the campaign a national issue until the required money is got.
“We are starting mega fundraising drives this Saturday May 5, in Bulamogi Kaliro. I ask the people of Kaliro to come in big numbers and offer their support so as not to abandon their own in his hour of need.
The committee members also visit Muyanga at Kirinya prison where he is currently detained, Kiyingi said as solidarity move.
The committee appeals to government and our legislators in particular to consider reviewing legislation relating to award of costs in public interest cases especially election petitions.
Kiyingi also revealed that they have embarked on a mediation exercise to get Muyanga and Lubogo reach some compromise so as to have Muyanga immediately released.