NUP parades more families of abductees, calls for peaceful protests

The National Unity Party (NUP) has paraded more relatives of victims of alleged security arrests and abductions that it said have intensified.

According to the party leaders, the families are struggling without their loved ones, the majority of whom are breadwinners.

NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine told journalists at their Kamwokya headquarters that at least 137 people have been abducted and their whereabouts remain unknown.

"The president confirmed that they have some of our people, the then minister for internal affairs, Jeje Odongo went on the floor of parliament and said that they had our people, but that is the last we heard about them, bring back our people," Kyagulanyi said.

Kyagulanyi urged families whose relatives have been abducted by security to stage peaceful protests to demand their release.

He also appealed to the international community, saying that what is happening in Uganda right now is worse than what was happening under Idi Amin.

"We call on you, the international community, because we believe you should be aware of what is going on in Uganda, which is terrible," he added.

The NUP president has repeatedly urged the international community to make respect for the rule of law and human rights a prerequisite for working with Museveni.

Following a new wave of abductions, Kyagulanyi renewed the search for missing party supporters last month.

In a series of tweets, Kyagulanyi asked the relevant authorities to “bring back” the missing NUP supporters.

Since 2020, NUP has made demands for their missing followers, some of whom they claim were jailed and kidnapped.

The party began registering missing people after receiving complaints and pleas from worried relatives.

Following the violent episodes that defined the general election of 2021, the party claimed that parents and relatives had gotten in touch with them.

The party published a list of 243 supporters in 2021 who they said were periodically missing. The party stated at the time that there were over 458 persons missing.

Information minister Chris Baryomunsi said last week that NUP should report to police and its sister security agencies if their people are missing.