Kampala, Uganda – Buyaga West Member of Parliament, Hon. Barnabas Tinkasiimire, has recounted his recent alleged abduction, strongly denying claims that the incident was staged for political gain.
Speaking on NTV Uganda’s One-on-One program on July 1, Tinkasiimire described the ordeal, stating that he was beaten by men who accused him of “hating Gen. Muhoozi.” He called for open dialogue, saying, “If Muhoozi has an issue with me, let him call me into his office and we solve it.”
According to Tinkasiimire, the abduction occurred on Saturday, June 28, 2025, at around 4:00 p.m. while he was refueling at Rubis Petrol Station opposite Makerere College School in Wandegeya. “A group of army men approached my vehicle and forcibly grabbed me. They started beating me as I resisted and forced me into a so-called ‘drone’. They then blindfolded me and drove off to an unknown destination,” he said.
Eyewitnesses and family members confirmed his disappearance, sparking outrage on social media and among legal and civic organizations. Many accused the state of using force to suppress political dissent ahead of the 2026 general elections.
Police spokesperson ACP Michael Rusoke Kituuma, speaking at a joint security briefing at Naguru on Monday, denied that Tinkasiimire was in police custody. “We do not have Barnabas Tinkasiimire in any of our police cells,” Rusoke said. “We are as concerned as the public.”
He also noted that while the Uganda Police Force is the main law enforcement body, other security agencies have arresting powers under the law. “Not every detention is carried out by police. Other state agencies have authority under the law,” he added.
Tinkasiimire’s disappearance drew condemnation from the Uganda Law Society (ULS). Vice President Mr. Asiimwe Anthony decried the growing number of enforced disappearances in Uganda. “Political activists, human rights defenders, key witnesses, and even lawyers are increasingly targeted. Many victims are tortured or killed during incommunicado detention,” he said.
It remains unclear who was behind the MP’s abduction or under what legal authority the operation was conducted. Social media commentators have linked the incident to a previous video in which Tinkasiimire was critical of President Museveni and his son, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the Chief of Defence Forces.
Tinkasiimire, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), has previously made controversial statements, including during an April 2023 appearance on Baba TV where he joked, “The standby generator has no fuel—it’s full of ‘Munanansi’ [pineapple juice].”
The incident has further intensified scrutiny of Uganda’s security forces and raised serious concerns about the use of force in managing political dissent.
