Uganda Today: Kyagulanyi Condemns Resumed Abductions of NUP Political Aspirants
By Uganda Today Political Desk
Published on: August 11, 2025
www.ugandatoday.co.ug
The President of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, has sounded the alarm over what he describes as a worrying resurgence of abductions targeting opposition political aspirants, particularly those aligned to his party.
In a statement issued Monday, Kyagulanyi confirmed the abduction of Comrade Ssetuba Derrick, an aspiring Member of Parliament for Buyaga East constituency in Bunyoro sub-region. According to Kyagulanyi, Ssetuba was violently abducted near Lugogo on Sunday morning, and to date, his whereabouts remain unknown.
“We have been notified of the violent abduction of comrade Ssetuba Derrick, an aspiring Member of Parliament for Buyaga East in Bunyoro. His abduction happened around Lugogo yesterday morning. His whereabouts remain unknown,” Kyagulanyi posted on his social media platforms.
He further lamented that the latest abduction fits into a growing pattern of enforced disappearances, especially of youth and emerging leaders who have publicly expressed interest in challenging the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) in the 2026 general elections.
Among those whose fates remain uncertain is Dr. Robert Luggya Kayingo, another prominent figure who was reportedly abducted weeks ago and has not been heard from since.
Kyagulanyi did not mince words in blaming the government for the ongoing spate of political repression, describing the situation as a “criminality” perpetrated by what he termed a “criminal regime.” He called upon Ugandans to stand firm against the escalating crackdown.
“The most unfortunate thing is that the spate of abductions is only getting worse. The criminal regime won’t stop this criminality until WE THE PEOPLE stop it,” he declared.
The NUP leadership has on several occasions decried the weaponization of state security agencies against dissenters. In the lead-up to the 2021 general elections, hundreds of NUP supporters were abducted in similar fashion—many in broad daylight by gun-wielding operatives traveling in unmarked vans commonly referred to as “drones.”
While government and security agencies have often dismissed such reports as exaggerated or politically motivated, human rights organizations, both local and international, have repeatedly flagged Uganda’s security forces for unlawful arrests, prolonged detentions without trial, and torture.
As the country edges closer to the 2026 elections, observers fear a return to pre-election repression, a move that could cast doubt on the credibility and fairness of the forthcoming electoral process.
#FreeSsetubaDerrick
#FreeDrRobertLuggya
#StopAbductions
#FreeUganda
Uganda Today will continue to follow this story and provide updates as more information becomes available. Anyone with knowledge of the whereabouts of the abducted individuals is urged to contact human rights agencies or legal aid groups.
Publisher
