Fear and anxiety have spread through Masaka City and the local Catholic community following the disappearance of Rev. Fr. Deus Ssekabira, deputy parish priest of Bumanji Parish in Kalangala District.
Fr. Ssekabira was reportedly abducted about two weeks ago by unidentified individuals at Katwe Trading Centre in Kimaanya Kabonera Division, Masaka City. According to eyewitness accounts, the armed group arrived in approximately four vehicles with covered license plates, wore black clothing and masks, and forcibly took the priest in what appeared to be a coordinated operation.
Residents say the incident has left the community unsettled. Several tenants at the location were found with doors still locked, indicating a sudden and forceful entry.
Alex Ssenyondo, the priest’s brother, described the assailants as “highly organized” and said they deliberately hid their identities. “The only thing that identified them as operatives were the guns they carried,” he stated.
Another brother, Andrew Kabulassoke, clarified that Fr. Ssekabira had been managing an organization that received foreign funding for community projects, including schools. He strongly denied allegations of illicit activities. “He has never used that money for anything illegal or harmful,” Kabulassoke emphasized.
The family has called on government authorities to intervene and help secure the priest’s release, maintaining his innocence. “We appeal to everyone responsible to ensure Fr. Ssekabira is freed—he is not a criminal,” they said.
Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye stated that police were not involved in the alleged arrest and had not received any formal complaint. “We have only heard about this through social media. It has not yet been reported at any police station,” he said.
Kasirye urged the family to formally report the priest as missing to enable official investigations to begin.
