A cloud of controversy has engulfed the National Unity Platform (NUP) following accusations that former Kisoro District party chairperson Sibomana Laban staged his own abduction in a bid to solicit financial compensation and medical allowances from the party’s top leadership.
The accusations surfaced shortly after Sibomana held a press conference at Bamboo Gardens in Kisoro Municipality on Thursday, where he recounted a harrowing ordeal. He claimed that on May 5, unidentified security personnel abducted him from his residence in Kisoro, after which he allegedly regained consciousness in Mbarara, where he had reportedly been dumped.
Sibomana further alleged that he had been assaulted, tortured, and left with serious injuries during the ordeal. He claimed that UGX 3.6 million and important party documents were also confiscated by his alleged captors. According to his statement, NUP’s leadership deliberately ignored his pleas for medical assistance and refused to reimburse his stolen funds.
However, NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya has strongly refuted these claims. In a phone interview, Rubongoya confirmed that Sibomana had visited the party headquarters in Kamwokya, where he was facilitated with a head scan that reportedly showed no serious injuries. Additionally, Sibomana was given UGX 230,000 as a transport refund.
Rubongoya emphasized that there is no credible evidence to support Sibomana’s claims of abduction, torture, or financial loss, raising serious questions about the authenticity of the former chairperson’s narrative.
The allegations have triggered debate both within and outside the party, with critics warning against politicizing false claims for personal gain, especially in a country where cases of abduction and political persecution are taken seriously.
As the situation unfolds, calls are growing louder for transparency and accountability within opposition ranks, as the party grapples with the fallout from this troubling incident.
