National Unity Platform (NUP) supporter Vianne Bashabe has resurfaced after 12 days in what he says was incommunicado detention, alleging he was tortured by Uganda’s military intelligence.
Bashabe, who was allegedly abducted from Hoima on March 6, recounted being subjected to beatings and psychological abuse inside the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) facilities before his release on Tuesday.
NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, in a statement, said Bashabe was forced to endure relentless beatings, especially on the soles of his feet, while being interrogated about his support for the opposition leader and NUP, despite being from western Uganda.
"After nearly two weeks of brutal treatment, Bashabe was released on the condition that he renounce his political beliefs and refrain from speaking out," Kyagulanyi said.
"However, he immediately defied the gag order and reported to the NUP offices, determined to expose the ordeal he and his comrades have faced."
Bashabe revealed he had been detained alongside fellow opposition supporters Hussein Mumbya and Shakur Ssentongo, who remain in custody and have reportedly suffered severe torture, leaving one of them unable to stand.
Their continued detention has fueled growing calls for their release.
Reacting to Bashabe’s account, Kyagulanyi condemned what he described as the government’s ongoing crackdown on political dissent.
"The crimes they commit against us only make us stronger and give us more reason to fight for our redemption. Uganda will be free!" he declared.
Over the past several years, NUP and human rights organizations have documented cases of opposition activists being abducted, detained without trial, or subjected to extrajudicial imprisonment.
Reports from Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International have accused Ugandan security forces of employing torture and forced disappearances to silence critics of President Museveni’s regime.
When contacted for comment, Acting Defence Public Information Officer Chris Magezi neither confirmed nor denied Bashabe’s allegations.
Instead, in a brief WhatsApp response to the Nile Post, he questioned the authenticity of the claims.
"Are you sure he has been missing for 12 days? Is there a police file/report to that effect? Anyone can say anything. Let those who allege first prove the veracity of their claims," Colonel Magezi said.
With international scrutiny mounting over Uganda’s human rights record, NUP has vowed to continue pushing for the release of all political prisoners and holding the government accountable for alleged state-sponsored persecution.