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NUP, UHRC: who is fooling who on missing supporters?

Robert Kyagulanyi, the leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), has voiced strong criticism against the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC) for its handling of cases involving missing NUP supporters.

This follows UHRC’s release of a report on October 10 in which Mariam Wangadya, the UHRC chairperson, said they have closed investigations in cases of 18 missing NUP supporters, part of a list of 30 individuals provided by the NUP secretariat for investigation.

Wangadya revealed that despite efforts to contact security agencies and visit detention facilities, UHRC could not locate 18 out of the 30 missing persons NUP presented to them. She explained that the NUP had not provided National Identification Numbers (NIN), hindering the verification of the individuals’ identities.

Wangadya further cited ‘uncooperative behaviour’ from the next-of-kin of the missing persons as a major challenge.

“Some individuals outright refused to cooperate with investigators and others displayed lack of interest in assisting with the investigation,” reads part of the report.

She stated that during their investigations, the UHRC had contacted the listed individuals or their next of kin.

“Some revealed that those who were arrested had been released on police bond or court bail. Only four out of the 12 individuals were willing to have their cases further investigated, with the majority declining to provide statements to the commission,” the statement noted.

However, on October 12, Kyagulanyi responded by hosting families of the missing persons and called for an end to the ‘mockery’ of those seeking justice and expressed disappointment in Wangadya, whom he described as unfit for her position.

“She lied that some of the next-of-kin of our people were non-cooperative and that some of them were no longer interested in pursuing the cases of their people,” he said.

“Today, our leaders have hosted these families. They reminded the nation of the circumstances by which their people were abducted and are still missing three or four years later. There are also recent abductees whose family members raised the plight of their people.”

He further pledged to pursue accountability and justice through both domestic and international avenues. NUP supporters whose whereabouts are still unknown include Moses Mbabazi aka Kawenja, Dennis Zzimula, Shafik Wangolo, Martin Lukwago, Peter Kirya, John Ddamulira, Michael Semuddu and Muhammad Kanatta. Others are John Bosco Kibalama, Vincent Nalumonso, Yuda Sempiijja, Musisi Mbowa, Musitafa Luwemba, Hassan Mubiru, Isma Ssesaazi, Godfrey Kisembo, George Kasumba and Joseph Baguma.

At that NUP press conference, family members of the missing individuals shed light on their abductions and continued disappearance over the span of three to four years. They wept as they recounted the experiences of disappointed and broken families in the aftermath of their loved ones’ abductions.

Monica Nabukeera, wife to Kibalama, said he went missing on June 3, 2019, and whereas the family has gone to various police stations, CMI, CPS, Kibuli, and Naguru, among others, they have failed to locate him.

“I was surprised when UHRC said that they contacted me to know details about my husband and I told them that I didn’t want to know. I think they called someone else, not me. I continue to ask for the release of my husband because even prime minister Robinah Nabbanja said he is in the hands of the government.”

Meanwhile, Agnes Nabwire, the wife to Kanatta, revealed that they are living in fear because his brother, Nasif Mutongole, was also recently arrested by security agencies.

“I am really delusional at the moment because I don’t know where my husband and brother-in-law are; who knows, I may be the next to be abducted. I have previously been arrested on frivolous charges and I cannot guarantee my safety in the current situation,” he said.

On the other hand, Charles Kiganda, a brother to Ddamulira, said he was abducted on November 21, 2020, from Kisekka area.

“We have searched in all prisons like Kigo, Luzira, and Kitalya. We have been to CMI, Mbuya, and many places but we have failed to establish his whereabouts. But police had earlier said to have him in custody but we have never seen him neither in court.”

Thereafter, the family members attempted to meet with the UHRC at their head office on Buganda road but were redirected to the regional office in Naguru. The families proceeded to Naguru and provided national IDs and other identification documents for their missing loved ones.

Following Kyagulanyi’s rebuttal and the storming of its offices, UHRC issued a statement in which it welcomed the families of missing persons.

“A team at our Central Regional Office in Naguru received them and diligently interacted with each one of them. It is this kind of joint effort and coordination we have been clamoring for since we initiated this investigation in November, 2022. Together, we shall attain a society that respects human rights and fulfills its civic obligations.”

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I know who my enemy is, says Lutalo

Singer David Lutalo, during his last extra show concerts at the weekend, expressed his hatred for politics of division and rallied revellers not to follow politicians who practice tribalism midway through his performance. However, the Kwasa artiste received a backlash on social media that he had to come out to address the issue. He said […]

Kampala Land Board chairperson Balondemu remanded over Shs 2.2bn gold scam

Kampala District Land Board chairperson David Balondemu has been remanded to Luzira prison for allegedly obtaining money by false pretense.

Appearing before City Hall court on Friday, Balondemu was also charged with conspiracy to commit a felony together with lawyer Eric  Geoffrey Mkwe who is still at large. Two weeks ago businessmen; James Jeff Mugisha and Godfrey Mabirizi were also charged and remanded by the same court over the same.

Court presided over by grade one magistrate Edgar Karakire heard that the accused persons and others still at large, between the months of March and November 2021 at the offices of Balondemu and Company Advocates along Parliamentary Avenue in Kampala city, obtained $600,000 (about Shs 2.2 billion) by falsely pretending that they were selling 53kgs of gold to Hyun UK Kim, a Korean investor whereas not.

Balondemu denied the charges against him, and through his lawyers led by Evans Ochieng and Mukasa Mbidde, asked to be granted bail. He argued that he is an officer of the court with historical unquestionable legal experience as a lawyer. He presented Dr Richard Lukandwa a consultant physician at the Medical Hub, Richard Collins Kiberu, the managing director of C and C Investments and Goldmark Property Limited, his wife Slyvia Bahizi an employee at Uganda Registration Services Bureau (URSB) and businesswoman Betty Nakayima as his sureties.

Prosecution led by state attorney, Mercy Yamangusho Khaidarah said Mkwe ran away and is so close to Balondemu that when he is granted bail, he may run away too - thereby complicating the prosecution case. She added that investigations are incomplete and therefore releasing Balondemu will jeopardize the ongoing inquiries.

The magistrate asked to be given more time to study the application and remanded Balondemu until November 6. Balondemu was arrested four days ago by the detectives attached to the State House Anti Corruption Unit and has been in detention at the Special Investigations Department (SID) in Kireka prior to his production in a fully parked courtroom.

It has become common for some law firms in Kampala to be implicated in gold scams where specifically they are being accused of conniving with the suspects, an accusation they have denied. 

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Buganda seeks to enforce compulsory hard work among kingdom youth

Buganda kingdom Lukiiko (parliament) is seeking government approval to enforce hard work and discipline among the youth as a remedy to high levels of redundancy and criminality.

During the 3-day retreat held at Maria Flo hotel in Masaka city, the Lukiiko representatives from the counties, various departments, and ministries passed a resolution to engage the central government to allow them to use the carrot and stick approach, to enforce hard work among the youth.

Noah Kiyimba, the minister in charge of the Buganda cabinet and Lukiiko, says the representatives generally expressed concern about the growing tendencies of laziness and laxity among the youth, which frustrate the kingdom’s efforts of fighting poverty. 

According to Kiyimba, the representatives want to make it compulsory for every youth in the kingdom to at least belong to an enterprise association and have an income-generating project that will be directly monitored through the kingdom’s leadership structures. He indicates that many youth are circumstantially engaging in criminality and others have become habitual drunkards, because they have been left to enjoy excessive freedom, hence rendering them unproductive and poor. 

Israel Kazibwe Kitooke, the kingdom minister of information and mobilization observes, that besides compulsory hard work, Buganda also seeks to regain full authority to nurture socially acceptable morals among the youth in its territory. He indicates that the kingdom already has its established perimeters of morality that are rooted in cultural practices and beliefs, which they want the central government to allow them to rigorously enforce such principles. 

According to Kazibwe, the kingdom and country are risking its future generation should they not stand up to nurture the youth as responsible citizens. Buganda prime minister Charles Peter Mayiga, in his remarks, observed that the kingdom is committed to undertaking deliberate interventions towards improving the livelihoods of its people.

He noted that the kingdom is fed up with superintending over unproductive communities, saying that high time they utilized the existing structural leadership to cause tangible improvement in people’s social welfare. Mayiga called upon Buganda structural leaders to mobilize their communities to participate in all central government’s wealth and livelihood programs as one of the ways to uplift their standards. It remains to be seen how the kingdom would enforce the move in a kingdom that has been impaled by other tribes. 

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UNHCR Rewards USD 500 Seed Capital To Refugees

By Nickson Maberi United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has rewarded USD 500 to different refugees to invest and expand their businesses. The reward was given to the proprietors of Voice of Refugees, Mat Habestan Daycare and Black Girl Magic on October 20th, 2023 in a program dubbed ‘Empowerment through pitch training’. The three …

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