His sureties have been bonded at UGX 300 million non-cash, while all his co-accused have also been granted bail. Courts has warned that the property could be forfeited if the bail conditions are breached.This is where Uganda’s justice system becomes difficult to explain.
NUP supporters accused in political cases—many of whom have not been alleged to have caused financial loss or loss of life—have spent months or even years behind bars, with bail applications repeatedly opposed or denied. Yet, in other cases, suspects walk out of court after satisfying clearly defined bail conditions.
The question is not whether Chris Obore deserves bail. Everyone accused of a crime deserves a fair hearing and the opportunity to apply for bail according to the law. The real question is why that principle appears to become flexible depending on who is standing in the dock. If bail is a legal right subject to conditions, then it should not become a privilege reserved for the politically well-connected.
Uganda can not keep preaching equality before the law while practising equality with a footnote. The Constitution may say justice is blind, but sometimes it looks suspiciously like it has learned to recognise political colours. That is not justice; that is a system slowly teaching citizens that the biggest crime is not necessarily what you did, but which side of the political fence the system believes you belong to.
