As Uganda gears up for the 2021 general elections, an alarming trend has emerged: scores of young people, predominantly opposition supporters, have gone missing without a trace in recent months. This troubling wave of disappearances has raised serious concerns among families, rights organizations, and political leaders. Hon. Robert Kyagulanyi Sentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, former Member of Parliament for Kyadondo East and leader of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), has been outspoken on the issue. He reports receiving a surge of messages from distraught supporters who fear their family members’ absences are linked to their political affiliations.
“People are calling every day, telling me they have lost trace of their sons, daughters, friends, and neighbors,” says Bobi Wine. “We are deeply concerned that these disappearances are politically motivated.” According to him, the climate of fear and intimidation surrounding opposition supporters is not only unprecedented but also a grave violation of fundamental human rights.
Among the many families affected is that Kabugu Abubakar, a resident of Hoima, who has been desperately searching for his younger brother, Abdullah Kintu, since Bobi Wine’s recent visit to Luuka District. Kabugu shared his distress in an emotional appeal to our editorial team. “I’ve gone to police stations across the area, hoping for any information. But at each station, the officers either shrug off my questions or tell me they don’t know anything about my brother’s whereabouts,” Kabugu recounts, his voice breaking as he continues. “I fear for his life, wondering if he has been killed or abandoned somewhere. I just need answers – if my brother is dead, we at least deserve to bury him.”
Kabugu ordeal echoes the anguish of many others who have taken to social media and local outlets, searching for answers and demanding accountability. However, most families, like his, are met with silence. Some reports suggest these disappearances could be politically motivated acts of intimidation designed to silence young opposition supporters, and by extension, weaken the growing influence of the NUP. These suspicions are further fueled by the timing of the disappearances, coinciding with increasing opposition activities and rallies.
The Uganda Police Force has responded to the growing public outcry, stating they are investigating the cases, though with caution. At a press briefing, a police spokesperson asserted that efforts are underway to determine if the missing individuals may have been involved in criminal activity or if any known security organizations might be holding them for questioning. However, this response has done little to reassure the families and supporters who believe that these abductions are politically charged, aimed at undermining opposition movements in Uganda.
The question remains: who is behind these disappearances, and who stands to benefit? The silence and lack of information only intensify the fear, with Uganda’s youth, particularly NUP supporters, feeling increasingly vulnerable in the lead-up to the election. Rights groups have called for urgent investigations and transparency from Ugandan authorities to address the rising tide of forced disappearances and ensure the safety of all citizens, regardless of their political beliefs.
