Abductions, Torture, and Silence: The Unrelenting Ordeal of NUP Supporters in Uganda
According to sources close to the family and the NUP leadership, Ssebudde was kept under incommunicado detention, subjected to severe torture, and then dumped near Namboole Stadium in the dead of night under ominous instructions never to speak of what he endured. “He was battered, dehydrated, and terrified. They told him that if he dared speak out, they would find him and kill him,” a close associate revealed under anonymity for fear of reprisal.
Uganda Today Edition: Abductions, Torture, and Silence: The Unrelenting Ordeal of NUP Supporters in Uganda
By Uganda Today News Team
[www.ugandatoday.co.ug]
The Night of Terror: Kassim Ssebudde’s Ordeal
The chilling cycle of abductions, enforced disappearances, and torture continues unabated in Uganda, especially targeting supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP). The latest harrowing testimony is that of Kassim Ssebudde, a youthful political activist abducted over two weeks ago alongside Eddie Mutwe, who remains unaccounted for.
According to sources close to the family and the NUP leadership, Ssebudde was kept under incommunicado detention, subjected to severe torture, and then dumped near Namboole Stadium in the dead of night under ominous instructions never to speak of what he endured.
“He was battered, dehydrated, and terrified. They told him that if he dared speak out, they would find him and kill him,” a close associate revealed under anonymity for fear of reprisal.
A Pattern of State Repression
Kassim’s experience mirrors a growing list of accounts from NUP members and supporters who allege targeted persecution by security operatives. Victims are often picked up in unmarked vans — colloquially known as “drones” — blindfolded, beaten, and interrogated for days or weeks without access to lawyers, families, or medical care.
In a disturbing pattern, many are later released quietly, bruised and traumatized, while others vanish without trace. Eddie Mutwe, the long-time head of security for opposition leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (aka Bobi Wine), is one such case — abducted and separated from Ssebudde shortly after their capture, with his whereabouts still unknown until when he was dumped.
A Regime of Fear and Intimidation
Political observers say these operations are deliberately designed to instill fear and break the morale of the opposition. “The regime no longer hides its brutality,” said a Kampala-based human rights lawyer. “It uses torture not just to punish dissenters but to silence the rest.”
NUP leaders have continuously condemned these acts, calling for international attention and accountability. In a statement issued earlier this week, they described the abductions as “a state-sanctioned campaign of terror against the people of Uganda.”
“They Want Us Silent. We Shall Speak Louder.”
Despite the fear that hangs over opposition communities, there is growing defiance. “They want to silence us,” an NUP youth leader told Uganda Today, “but our voices must grow louder and our actions stronger.”
The party has vowed to continue documenting every violation, sharing survivor testimonies, and pursuing justice both locally and internationally. Meanwhile, families of the disappeared are left in agony, uncertain whether their loved ones are dead or alive.
Calls for Accountability
Human rights organisations, both within Uganda and abroad, have repeatedly called on the Government to end the practice of enforced disappearances and to prosecute perpetrators. The Uganda Human Rights Commission has been criticized for its limited response and perceived inability to hold security agencies accountable.
In the face of these grave violations, the NUP and civil society actors insist that silence is complicity — and demand that justice prevail.
If you or someone you know has been a victim of politically motivated abduction or torture, contact trusted legal aid organizations or human rights defenders for support.
#JusticeForKassim
#WhereIsEddieMutwe
#StopAbductionsUG
For continuous updates on human rights and governance in Uganda, follow www.ugandatoday.co.ug.
Author’s Note:
This article is written in solidarity with all victims of state violence, and with a firm belief in the role of journalism as a bulwark against tyranny.
Published by www.ugandatoday.co.ug, your trusted source for news and analysis
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