Kasese NUP coordinator Samuel Masereka narrates 34-day torture ordeal

Samuel Masereka, the coordinator of the National Unity Platform (NUP) in Kasese district has narrated his torture ordeal at the hands of state security personnel. He narrated what happened to him during a press conference at the party headquarters in Kamwokya on Monday.

According to Masereka, he was abducted by security personnel on December 7, 2021, and taken to Kasese central police station from where he was blindfolded and driven to a place, he later learnt was the headquarters of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI) in Mbuya.

Masereka, who looks frail, says that he was interrogated about the activities of NUP, their source of funds, and their plans. He claims that he was electrocuted and beaten to an extent of losing consciousness. He says his continued plea to be released or taken to the court if indeed he had committed any crime didn’t yield results.

“They would boil water in a percolator and then pour hot water on the particular parts that they wanted to hit. They would do this repeatedly. At one time I asked them why can’t you take me to court if you think I have committed a crime because they’d held me for over 48 hours without trial but they told me that the 48-hour rule doesn’t apply to them because if they want, they could even kill me right away without trace,” said Masereka.

He adds that for the over 20 days that he was in the custody of security, the torture never stopped. Masereka, who was helped to walk and sit to address journalists, had healing scares on the back, stomach, and legs.

His feet were swollen and bore wounds, he says were inflicted on him by his tormentors. After beating him and leaving him bleeding, they would return the next day and use their big army boots to step on the fresh wounds. Masereka says there are multiple members of the opposition who are in such a condition in custody. He was released last week on January 28.

NUP spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi condemned Masereka’s torture by security. He says several party supporters have been arrested and tortured and many are still in jail without appearing in court.

Ssenyonyi says NUP isn’t a rebel organisation but rather a political party, which uses its leaders to mobilize support and register new members. He says Masereka was not reported to have done anything illegal when he was taken by security.

Ssenyonyi added that it has now become a custom of government security agencies to abduct, illegally detain and torture NUP members across the country. Ssenyonyi says that they are documenting such events and shall use them as evidence in the courts of laws including the International Crimes Court (ICC) where they want President Museveni, his son and commander Land Forces Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba and other top security personnel prosecuted for crimes against humanity.

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga told journalists that Masereka who is claiming torture has never reported any case to the police for an investigation, adding that they don’t know anything regarding the torture claims.

Last week, the Attorney General Kiryowa Kiwanuka told delegates at the UN Human Rights Council that there were no extrajudicial killings in Uganda and no torture of suspects by security personnel. But delegates from Norway and Netherlands raised concern over abductions and the use of brutal force by security while handling civilians.