The Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) issued a report on October 10, 2023, stating that out of the 30 individuals reported missing by the National Unity Platform (NUP) political party, 12 were actually detained on suspicion of various offenses and subsequently released on police bond or court bail.
Mariam Wangadya, the UHRC chairperson, presented the findings and also raised concerns about the accuracy of the information provided by NUP regarding the missing supporters and allegations of torture by security agencies.
According to Wangadya, NUP’s secretary-general, David Lewis Rubongoya, submitted a list of 30 names of individuals believed to be missing. Among these names, five individuals were reportedly arrested in Nakaseke between January and February 2023. The UHRC initiated investigations to ascertain the truth behind these allegations to guide their future actions.
However, Wangadya pointed out that some of the individuals NUP claimed were tortured had not cooperated in providing additional evidence to support their allegations. For instance, Alexandreos Marinos, who alleged rape by UPDF soldiers, had disappeared, and the UHRC lost contact with her. In some cases, individuals changed their initial narratives significantly, as seen in the case of Eric Mwesigwa.
The UHRC’s investigations also revealed that some individuals previously labeled as “torture” victims turned out to be victims of road accidents. These findings led the UHRC to question the credibility of the complaints referred to them. Additionally, the lack of National Identity card numbers for many of the alleged missing persons hindered efforts to verify their existence.
NUP’s former presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi, had recently hosted the relatives of his missing supporters and publicly voiced concerns about their disappearances. He urged for the release and return of these individuals and criticized the government for punishing citizens with differing political opinions.
The UHRC encouraged the Parliament’s human rights committee to make their report on the alleged missing NUP supporters public.
In response to the UHRC’s report, David Lewis Rubongoya of NUP stated that 12 of the 30 reported persons had been released, while 18 were still missing. He criticized the extended detention of these individuals, which exceeded the legally prescribed 48-hour limit, and questioned why the UHRC did not condemn these rights violations.
The UHRC identified the 18 supporters who remained missing as follows:
- Moses Mbabazi (Kawenja)
- Dennis Zzimula
- Shafik Wangolo
- Martin Lukwago
- Peter Kirya
- John Ddamulira
- Michael Ssemudu
- Muhammad Kanata
- John Bosco Kibalama
- Vincent Nalumonso
- Patrick Yuda Ssempija
- Mbowa Musisi
- Mustafa Luwemba
- Hassan Mubiru
- Isma Ssesazi
- Godfery Kisembo
- George Kasumba
- Joseph Baguma
The UHRC’s attempts to gather information and statements from the families of the missing individuals were met with various challenges, including uncooperative responses and refusals to provide information. In some cases, the next of kin reported missing persons to the police but received no responses.
The case of Joseph Baguma’s wife, Hamida Nakawooya, was marked by her lack of interest in pursuing the matter, even though her husband was “still missing.” Similarly, efforts to record statements from Ritah Natulinda, the wife of the missing John Bosco Kibalama, were met with resistance and a lack of cooperation.
The UHRC noted that Malitah Nakyanzi, the sister of the missing Patrick Yuda Ssempija, visited multiple police stations in search of her brother but found no information about his whereabouts. She remained uncertain about who was responsible for his disappearance.
