The National Unity Platform (NUP) has raised alarm over the alleged abduction of several of its senior members and candidates along Masaka Road, describing the incidents as part of a growing pattern of intimidation targeting opposition figures.
In a statement released on Tuesday, NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu—popularly known as Bobi Wine—said the party’s Head of Mobilisation, Habib Buwembo, was abducted on Tuesday afternoon alongside Josephine Nakakemno, aka Jamila Wa Bobi and Ronald Batabaale, the latter a party candidate.
Kyagulanyi also reported that Robert Zziwa was abducted a day earlier.
He said the four “join a long list of our other comrades who have been disappeared and held incommunicado.”
“These cowardly tactics have never saved dictators from the inevitable fall,” Kyagulanyi said, condemning what he described as continued repression of political opponents.
According to NUP officials, the individuals were seized by unidentified persons and taken to unknown locations.
At the time of their statement, the party said it had not been informed of any charges or the whereabouts of the alleged victims.
The reported incidents come amid heightened political activity and renewed claims by opposition parties of intimidation, arbitrary arrests, and enforced disappearances, particularly during election-related campaigning.
Later, the Uganda Police Force issued a statement confirming the arrest of Buwembo, Batabaale, and Nakakembo.
According to the police, the three are currently in custody and will be arraigned in court in due course.
The statement, signed by Rachael Kawala, spokesperson for the Kampala Metropolitan Police, did not give the reasons for the arrests.
The development partially contradicts the initial claims of abduction, though the NUP has repeatedly demanded the immediate production of missing members before courts of law or their unconditional release, urging authorities to uphold constitutional safeguards and international human rights standards.
“The Constitution guarantees due process and access to legal counsel,” a senior NUP official said, calling on authorities to respect the rule of law and end what the party describes as politically motivated crackdowns.
The National Unity Platform is Uganda’s leading opposition party and has frequently accused state agencies of targeting its supporters through arrests and intimidation.
Authorities have previously denied claims of abductions, maintaining that suspects are lawfully arrested and investigated for alleged offenses.
As families and colleagues await more information, pressure is mounting on security agencies to clarify the status of the detained individuals and ensure adherence to legal and constitutional protections.
