Africa-Press – Uganda. At least 10 relatives of Luweero Bush War veteran Abdul Nadduli were picked up by security operatives in Nakaseke District in the wee hours of Tuesday morning.
Hajj Nadduli is a former combatant who fought and sacrificed with blood in the protracted Bush War that brought President Museveni to power in 1986.
Hajj Nadduli’s relatives were released less than 24 hours later without charge. But the arrest, in a manner that has since become the modus operandi of security agencies, has rained more terror and trauma in citizens who are promised so much transparency and accountability in the way the government conducts business in all spheres.
The NRM government has for the last 36 years turned trolling of past regimes into a lifestyle. Names like Swine have been baptised unto this nation’s past leaders, whose alleged evil deeds are religiously preached at every opportunity.
Among the failures of the past regimes that citizens today are accustomed to being reminded about is the infamous Panda Gari (board the vehicle) – a terror of its kind as citizens were wantonly arrested and driven off to nowhere.
Unfortunately, the more things change, the more they seem to be fighting so hard to remain the same. Panda Gari has been replaced with drones and the level of terror is just as bad.
Thousands of citizens are still being picked up by security operatives in what are clearly abductions. A few lucky ones are located after a month or so of being held incommunicado, some remain unaccounted for nearly a year or more today.
The Naddulis say this is not what they fought for. And we say this is not what Ugandans hoped or will ever live for. Ours is a nation governed by the Constitution that accords every citizen rights and also defines how the government must conduct its business. It is our call on the government that, for as long as it still admits it is accountable to the people and espouses the rights of every citizen, it must revisit the conduct of security operatives.
No citizen should be subjected to the trauma of running around to trace for their missing relatives. Not every citizen or family has the means or know somebody who knows somebody who can make the calls to trace their missing loved one. It is 2022, not 1976; local council leaders should not be responding to distress calls about “unknown persons” storming homes in the dead of the night to pick up citizens.
A tried and proven system this government was praised for was when such operations were conducted with the involvement of LCs who are accountable to their residents. It is something this government must revisit to restore constitutional sanity and reassure citizens. Policing must not instil terror in citizens
For More News And Analysis About Uganda Follow Africa-Press
