Africa-Press – Uganda. At least four supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP) who were allegedly abducted in January 2021 by gunmen believed to be security operatives have resurfaced.
They include; Buwama Town Council Chairperson-elect Abdul-Rashid Nkinga alias Jjaja Katikanyonyi, Baker Kawooya, Emmanuel Bazira and Muhamaddi Ssekimpi.
Mr Nkinga said he and his colleagues were on Friday dumped by their captors in Kibukuta swamp near Jalia City highway stopover in Buwama Town Council along Kampala-Masaka highway at around 11pm after spending several days in unknown detention.
“We were ordered not to speak to you (journalists) before being ordered to get out of the drone which drove us back while blindfolded,” Mr Nkinga said.
The four are said to be among hundreds of opposition supporters who were arrested during and after the January 2021 elections in which operation President Museveni said was being conducted by security operatives against criminal elements who had planned to cause violence ahead of his swearing in later in May.
“They look frail. They allege acts of torture and some of them only react by crying when you ask them about their detention,” Mr John Mukwaya, a resident said.
“After visiting my friend Nkinga this morning (Saturday), he narrated to me how he was pressed to the wall by abductors asking him to give them the guns – alleging that he was a rebel and he was planning to attack the government which information was false,” Mr Mukwaya added.
These were abducted together with Victor Makenya, Ronald Mugerwa, Deo Kijjambu and many others who are still missing and being held in unknown detention facilities.
The development comes days after NUP president, Mr Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine on March 11, 2021, while appearing in Parliament for the first time since the election nominations in 2020, asked Parliament to order for the immediate release of all the abducted and political prisoners.
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“Today marks 71 days since my entire campaign team was arrested and imprisoned in Kitalya prison on bogus charges. After being granted bail, they were again rearrested by the Military and taken through grave torture sessions. Some of our people have been castrated and others have had their eyes placed out. Their limbs have been broken and they have been subjected to advanced forms of torture like waterboarding and electrocution,” the Kyadondo East MP and runner-up in the just concluded presidential election told Parliament on Thursday.
Mid this week, Mr Kyagulanyi announced the death of one of his supporters, Fabian Luuka who was also allegedly kidnapped by security operatives several weeks ago and tortured before he was dumped in Nakawa, Kampala in a bad shape.
“Our welfare team has done everything to support his treatment. He passed on yesterday (March 10). The ruthlessness!” he tweeted.
