Uganda Human Rights Commission Closes 18 Missing NUP Supporters’ Files as Only 12 Traced

Mrs. Mariam Wangadya, Chairperson of the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), confirmed that out of 30 missing National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters, only 12 have been positively identified. This announcement was made during a press conference held at the UHRC’s offices in Kampala, Uganda, on Tuesday.

According to Mrs. Wangadya, the UHRC has taken the decision to close 18 files related to the allegedly missing NUP supporters, as their next of kin have shown little interest in pursuing these cases further.

“It will be pointless for us to keep these files open when the people provided to us as the next of kin of these missing persons are not interested in these cases. So, we have taken a decision to close those files,” Ms. Wangadya stated.

The investigations into the whereabouts and alleged abductions of NUP supporters began last year after a petition by NUP Secretary-General Mr. Lewis Rubongoya was submitted to the Human Rights Commission.

The number of missing persons has gradually increased, with five names added to the list in January of this year, bringing the total to 30. However, the whereabouts of the remaining 18 are still unknown. The UHRC had contact information and names for these individuals but, regrettably, they have not been actively cooperating with the commission in providing leads to locate them.

The UHRC disclosed that the 30 missing individuals had been arrested on suspicion of various offenses and were either released on police bond or court bail. Tragically, some of them mysteriously disappeared and are not currently held in any detention facility within Uganda. The majority of these missing NUP supporters were allegedly abducted before, during, and after the 2021 General Electoral process.

The list of the 18 NUP supporters who remain missing includes individuals such as Moses Mbabazi, also known as Kawenja, Dennis Zzimula, Shafik Wangolo, Martin Lukwago, Serunjogi Martin Micheal, John Ddamulora, Micheal Semuddu, Muhammad Kanatta, and Johnbosco Kibalama, among others.