Oliver Lutaaya is back in Part 2, the previous part having ended in a four-year ordeal in military custody. Normally, a period of detention would break the political will of many an activist, but Olivia Lutaaya appears to be made of stuff of legends and has made a comeback, presumably growing stronger with every challenge.

The National Unity Platform’s (NUP) “foot soldier” is back in the trenches, unwavering in her resolve. “I know what I want,” she declares.

She dismisses speculation that she is eyeing political office. “That is not true. I don’t want any position—I want change,” she says, refuting claims that she plans to contest for Parliament in 2026.

Lutaaya became the media face of the trials endured by the so-called “NUP 32,” a group of young activists arrested by the military in the aftermath of the contested 2021 general elections.

The 33-year-old mother of one was seized from her home in Namuwongo, a Kampala suburb, and allegedly held incommunicado for weeks before being brought before a military court.

Alongside 31 others, she was accused of possessing 13 explosive devices between November 2020 and May 2021 in various locations, including Jinja, Mbale, Kireka, and Kampala.

Despite numerous legal attempts to secure their release, the military court consistently denied them bail, disregarding their constitutional rights.

After nearly four years in detention, the group gradually succumbed to pressure. In late 2023, they accepted a guilty plea deal, reportedly brokered by Minister Balaam Barugahara, and were subsequently convicted and released last December.

Now, free once again, Lutaaya is picking up where she left off—only this time, she is more well-known.

“For me, as Olivia Lutaaya, I know what I want. I want change. I won’t stop until we achieve it. I am not scared of anything or anybody,” she asserts.

About those she was detained with, she says, “Some have left, some have joined NRM, but others are still standing. And the nine who are still imprisoned remain strong.”

With Uganda’s judicial system under scrutiny, Lutaaya questions whether her colleagues will ever receive a fair trial.

“In Uganda, you can’t get justice in the court martial. I pray that God helps them,” she says.