Former minister and constitutional activist Dr Miria Koburunga Matembe has opened up about her recent arrest and detention, describing the experience as one of the most difficult periods of her life.Matembe said she endured harsh conditions while in custody and survived through prayer, believing that God would deliver her.“I was starved to near death. I resorted to prayer because I knew my God would rescue me,” Matembe said.Speaking to journalists in Kampala, Matembe alleged that security operatives raided her home in Luzira on June 24, 2026, while she was away. She claimed the incident involved people in civilian clothes and others who were hooded, leaving her 81-year-old husband, Nekemia Matembe, distressed.She said she was later arrested on June 28 and taken into custody before appearing before Luzira Magistrates’ Court on June 30, where she faced charges of sectarianism.
Matembe alleged that after her arrest, she was blindfolded, denied food and taken to a location she believed was under military control before being transported to the Jinja Road Regional CID Office.The former minister thanked Ugandans, lawyers, civil society organisations and other supporters who stood with her during her arrest and court proceedings, particularly the Uganda Law Society and her sureties.Reflecting on her public service, Matembe said she had spent years fighting for democracy, justice and human rights. She recalled her role as a member of the Uganda Constitutional Commission that prepared the draft Constitution that later became the 1995 Constitution.She said her experience would not silence her from speaking against injustice and human rights violations.“Stop fearing; stand up firmly in our God. Speak up and let us redeem our nation from the calamity it is going through,” she urged Ugandans.Matembe, who previously supported the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), questioned the safety of citizens under the current political climate.“I who embraced the NRM revolution am a victim of illegal military raids on my home, military abduction and trumped-up charges. Then who is safe in Uganda?” she asked.She called on Ugandans, especially young people, to defend constitutional values, demand accountability and stand firm for justice.
