Police have launched a nationwide manhunt for William Nyanzi, a 34-year-old Ugandan and founder of the HOLD A HAND Foundation, over the alleged disappearance of three children who were under his care.
According to police, Nyanzi operated a charity organization based in Mityana District, where he took in children from vulnerable families and promised to support them with school fees, education, and scholastic materials. Through the foundation, parents entrusted their children to him in the hope of securing a better future for them.
However, authorities say the same foundation is now at the center of a serious criminal investigation after several children reportedly went missing.
The case was reported at Central Police Station (CPS) Jinja under SD Ref: 45/20/09/2025, following a complaint by Samuel Okello, a 30-year-old resident of Bukaya, Njeru, and the father of three of the missing children.
Okello told police that he became acquainted with Nyanzi in 2021 through the HOLD A HAND Foundation, which was offering education support and scholastic materials to children from struggling families.
He stated that because he was unable to afford school fees at the time, he approached Nyanzi to request support for his three children. The foundation agreed to take them in and provide for their education and welfare.
For about two years, the arrangement reportedly continued without major problems. However, in 2023, Okello said communication with Nyanzi became difficult, and his access to the children was gradually restricted until he could no longer see or contact them.
He further reported that he does not know the whereabouts of his children, prompting him to file a police report.
Police have also identified another suspect, Josephine, an alleged social worker believed to be an accomplice of Nyanzi. She is suspected to be residing in Jinja City but remains at large.
A wanted notice has since been issued against Nyanzi, with police calling on members of the public to help trace and arrest him.
Anyone with information about his whereabouts is urged to report to the nearest police station or to the Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID). Police have assured the public that all information will be treated with strict confidentiality.
