Parliament has requested that the government investigate allegations of arbitrary arrests, kidnappings, and assassinations in the country.
This followed Hassan Kirumira’s (NUP, Katikamu County South) complaint about the alleged kidnapping of Jakana Nadduli, son of former Minister Abdul Nadduli, on September 5, 2022.
On Thursday, September 8, 2022, the MP raised the issue during a plenary session of the House presided over by Speaker Anita Among.
Kirumira stated that the whereabouts of the young Nadduli are unknown, and the parent is currently stranded because the son was ill at the time he was allegedly kidnapped.
Kirumira requested that Jakana Nadduli be brought to court if he had committed any crimes and that his parents be allowed to visit him.
“Mr Jakana Nadduli had an accident in March. Information we have is that he was kicked in the stomach and the parent, Nadduli a former minister does not know where the son is,” Hon. Kirumira said.
Wilfred Niwagaba who is the MP representing Ndorwa County Eastcommented on the matter, saying that the issue of abduction is painful for citizens and that several cases of alleged abductions have been reported.
Mathias Mpuuga, the Leader of the Opposition, also reported this week’s alleged kidnapping of Teddy Nalubwama, whose family has been unable to locate her.
The Speaker demanded an explanation from the government, claiming that Parliament needed to know what was behind the alleged kidnappings and that they should be charged.
“This is a very serious matter; we need to come out clean and expose the people who are abducting people because if people are going to be abducted left, right and centre, will we move from here to the gate?” Among said.
She stated that people may be blaming the government, but it is other people who are kidnapping Ugandans.
The Speaker also claimed that she had received assassination threats and demanded that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Internal Affairs conduct investigations into the alleged kidnappings.
“We need a report on those arrests, on the assassinations, we need a report in two weeks,” she said.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja said: “We are going to handle this issue with utmost urgency, we are going to protect you, and nothing is going to happen to you.”
National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu alias Bobi Wine has also raised an alarm on social media, saying that their supporters has started being kidnapped again.
