KAMPALA — Uganda’s opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) has raised alarm over what it describes as the abduction of two of its senior party leaders by the military on the eve of the election, warning that the incidents represent a serious threat to the integrity of the electoral process.
In a statement released by the party, NUP said a video recorded stealthily shows the moment its Deputy President for the Western Region, Mama Jolly Jacklyn Tukamushaba, was taken away by armed security personnel believed to be members of the military. According to the party, she was seized and driven away to an неизвест location, with no official explanation provided to her family or party officials.
NUP further alleges that during the operation, security forces confiscated all materials in her possession, including appointment letters for polling agents and funds intended to facilitate their deployment on election day. Party officials say the seizure of these materials directly undermined their ability to organize and monitor the vote in the affected areas.
“To date, her whereabouts remain unknown,” the party said, expressing deep concern for her safety and accusing state security agencies of deliberately targeting opposition organizers at a critical moment in the electoral process.
In a separate but related development, NUP also reported the abduction of its Deputy President for Northern Uganda, Dr. Lina Zedriga. The party says she was similarly taken by the military, and her current location remains unknown, days after the alleged incident.
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) and police have not issued an official response addressing the specific allegations or confirming the arrests. The absence of clarification has fueled anxiety among supporters and renewed criticism from human rights advocates, who argue that enforced disappearances and incommunicado detentions violate both Uganda’s constitution and international human rights obligations.
These allegations come amid heightened political tension and repeated reports of arrests, intimidation, and restrictions targeting opposition figures during election periods. Civil society groups have called for the immediate disclosure of the detained leaders’ whereabouts, access to legal representation, and an independent investigation into the incidents.
As the election approaches, pressure is mounting on Ugandan authorities to account for the missing opposition officials and to guarantee the safety, freedom, and participation of all political actors in the democratic process.
