The leader of opposition in parliament Mr Joel Ssenyonyi for another time tabled names of the 18 people who have been missing since 2017 and another list of 48 National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters who are still incarcerated in different prisons battling different charges.
Mr Ssenyonyi said, “This afternoon in Parliament, I’ve once again laid on table the list of missing persons including John Bosco Kibalama (whom Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said was arrested and she knows where he is), plus those in jail like Olivia Lutaaya for over 3 years without trial.”
This move was prompted by the new junior Minister for Youth & Children Affairs Balaam Barugahara who on Wednesday indicated that he had begged President Museveni to pardon the jailed NUP supporters and asked for the list of who they are.
The disappearances and arrests started in 2020 when then NUP Presidential Candidate Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine was arrested in Luuka District where he had gone for campaigns. Sporadic protests ensued on the streets of most townships across the country demanding his release.
The security swang in action to contain the protests and 54 people were gunned down in the melee.
The government later said that they had arrested over 1300 people in connection to the happenings of that November 18, 19 protests. Many of these people after several media reports and international outburst against the government, were released on bail, dumped in different places across the country while others still battle charges in court.
At least 18 of these have never been seen and despite different files of habias Corpus released by courts, they have never appeared in any courts of law or seen by their relatives.
Yesterday, while sharing the report, Mr Ssenyonyi said they had tabled these lists in Parliament before, shared the same withe the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) and that the same records are in court where the matters are.
“So for those fellows in Gov’t who say they agree with us that their Gov’t is brutal and continues to illegally detain political opponents, they can access the lists, and stop pretending that they don’t know who these people are or where the lists are,” he said.
Party president Robert Kyagulanyi emphasized while also posting on his official X handle saying, “The same criminal regime which abducted, tortured and still holds onto our people now claims to not know them or where they are. For the record, here are some of the names of our disappeared or detained comrades.”
Last month NUP leaders and MPs went to court and stood suireties of the prisoners and a vadict on this matter is ste to be heard on April 15, by the Court Martial.
“Recently, myself and other MPs stood surety for those in jail after the court martial irregularly rejected their parents and spouses as sureties saying they are not substantial.On 15th April, the Court Martial is going to rule on our substantiality as sureties,” he said.
“If the court martial thinks Parents, Spouses and National leaders are not substantial sureties for these persecuted people, we shall demand that they tell us who we should bring to court that is substantial enough,” Mr Ssenyonyi added.
NUP secretary general David Lewis Rubongoya also through his official X handle posted, “Just a reminder, these 18 Ugandan were picked up at different times from different places by regime security operatives. To date, they’re still missing. All of a sudden regime officials claim not to know them, despite sharing these lists with them numerous times.”
