Two NUP Election Committee Officials Released After Abduction by Security Forces

Two of the four officials of the National Unity Platform (NUP) Election Management Committee who were abducted by security forces, have been released.

Mercy Walukamba, the chairperson of the Committee and Rahmah Juma Lubowa, a member of the committee were released on Thursday after spending two days in the hands of security. The other two are Alex Lovans Lwanyaga and Eddie Kayabula.

The four were taken in on Tuesday while returning from Rakai district where they had gone for the burial of the mother of John Mary Ssebuufu, another committee member.

Speaking on Friday at the NUP headquarters at Makerere Kavule, Walukamba and Lubowa said they had been held at Mbuya military barracks from where they were transferred to the police Special Investigation Unit at Kireka where they were released on Thursday.

Walukamba said while returning from Rakai, they found a roadblock at Lungula and they were told to stop. They were forced out of their car into a waiting Toyota Hiace commonly known as drones, they blindfolded them and drove away.

She said they drove for quite some time before arriving at a place they didn’t recognize. They asked them a few questions and then detained them until the following day when they were taken out for questioning.

Walukamba said they were asked about the Kawempe by-election and why they chose to give Elias Luyimbazi Nalukoola the ticket to be the NUP flagbearer instead of Moses Nsereko. They also asked them about NUP activities and what they are planning.

Walukamba said that they were released on Thursday and warned them against talking about what had happened to them. “They told me that Mercy you did a good job in Kawempe, when we give you money can you come to us? I told them, this time I’m traumatized but they give me some time we shall communicate,” Walukamba said.

Lubowa said the reason why perhaps they were released was because she was not well all the time she was there. She also said she was tortured while being arrested.

Speaking at the same press nonreference, David Lewis Rubongoya, the NUP Secretary General said they will continue demanding the release of their people because they have committed no offence. He said that if the security suspected anybody had committed any crime, they should be summoned to the police and they will go.

Rubongoya said the habit of kidnapping people is bound to be taken advantage of by bad elements. “What will happen when other people who don’t work for Museveni’s regime come out and kidnap people? How will people know these have been kidnapped by the right people? We shall continue demanding for our people because we know this regime kidnaps them. We continue to demand for the release of our people,” Rubongoya said.