Uganda: Unease after alleged election abductions

Concern is rising in Uganda over the alleged compelled disappearances of dissidents throughout the nation within the lead-up to and following final month’s normal election.
Members of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) celebration say they’ve been particularly focused. NUP candidate Bobi Wine was defeated within the January 14 election, with incumbent President Yoweri Museveni taking 58.64% of the vote to win a sixth time period in workplace after 35 years of rule.
Wine has challenged the result of the elections in court docket, accusing Museveni of voter fraud.
Plain-clothed members of Uganda’s protection forces have been blamed for the abductions, most of which came about at evening.
In an tackle to his supporters from his residence over the weekend, Wine estimated that over 3,000 NUP celebration members had been taken by authorities.
Ugandan authorities say solely 31 NUP members have been arrested on suspicion of planning a rise up.
“All those arrested will be investigated and those found with cases will be charged in courts of law,” police spokesman Fred Enanga mentioned on Tuesday.
An unknown destiny
The households of these kidnapped say the abductees had been crushed earlier than being compelled into automobiles and pushed away.
One 55-year-old mom, who needs to stay nameless, says her son was kidnapped and his whereabouts are nonetheless unknown.
In an interview with DW, she implores President Museveni to launch those that have been imprisoned.
“Who will this government lead if our children are imprisoned,” she mentioned. “We haven’t been able to trace them in prisons. Dear president, when you take your oath and ask the clergy to pray for you, how will they bless you when our children are missing? Have pity on us because you are a parent, too.”
Charles Kirumira, who ran within the elections as a NUP parliamentary candidate for Kyotera County in Central Uganda, says he has been residing in worry ever since NUP colleagues of his had been allegedly forcibly kidnapped within the days earlier than the January 14 ballot.
Kirumira says a number of NUP members had been picked up from their properties by unidentified safety operatives touring in vans with out quantity plates.
“Team leaders, our campaign agents and people whom we expected to be the polling agents are the people who have been arrested,” he informed DW.
Questions raised over cause for arrests
Ugandan lawyer Asuman Basalirwa says the lack of awareness about those that have disappeared, in addition to the style of their abduction, signifies that the disappearances can’t be categorized as arrests.
“The reason why people are saying security is kidnapping Ugandans is because the mode of arrest is completely against the constitution,” he informed DW. “I think that’s where the focus should be.”
When questioned on the latest spate of kidnappings, the Minister of Internal Affairs Jeje Odongo mentioned investigations had been underway to find out who was behind the arrests.
“It is true many of the incidents were perpetrated by numberless tinted vehicles,” he informed DW. “We have taken interest in and arrested some of them, together with their arms, and they are in our custody.”
In an assertion to parliament final week, Odongo mentioned 44 individuals had been reported kidnapped and 31 had been nonetheless lacking.
The Executive Director of the Uganda-based Foundation for Human Rights Initiative, Livingstone Sewanyana, says Museveni’s authorities ought to swiftly carry these arrested earlier than the courts of legislation in accordance with the nation’s structure, pointing to a troubling resurgence of violent intimidation prior to now.
“The act of abductions, kidnappings and enforced disappearance is a relic of dictatorship,” Sewanyana informed DW. “It speaks of our past history and also developments and trends [seen] during the 1970s,” he mentioned, referring to the brutal rule of former Ugandan President Idi Amin.
“This must be rooted out. Those held responsible must be punished.”
Stella Nyanzi seeks refuge in Kenya
Political activist and former college lecturer Stella Nyanzi, a outstanding Museveni critic, has in the meantime fled Uganda together with her kids and sought asylum in Kenya.

Nyanzi, who ran for a seat within the January election alongside the opposition Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) celebration, alleges her companion —a NUP member — was kidnapped from his automobile and tortured every week the vote came about.
Previously, Nyanzi spent almost 16 months after being discovered responsible of insulting the president with a graphic poem describing the delivery of Museveni, criticizing his “oppression, suppression and repression” of Uganda. She was launched in February 2020.