Family, friends search for missing NUP supporter
Opposition NUP party claims its supporter Geoffrey Bwambale was "abducted."
What you need to know:
- Bwambale’s brother said they have not received any information regarding his whereabouts, with authorities at SIU Kireka denying his detention.
Family members and friends of Mr Geoffrey Bwambale, the mobiliser of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) in Rwenzori Sub-region, have mounted a search for him after he was reportedly abducted by unknown armed men on Sunday.
According to Bwambale’s workmate who preferred anonymity, on the fateful day, some men in army uniform and plain clothes came to the hospital (name withheld) in Kasenge, Wakiso District, where he worked and took him away in a silver, Toyota Hiace, commonly known as drone.
“On Sunday, at midday, seven armed men, three wearing UPDF uniform and others in plain clothes, came to our hospital,” the workmate said.
The workmate added that the abductors claimed that Mr Bwambale was needed for questioning at the Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Kireka.
“The men in plain clothes surrounded him before dragging him into the drone where the other men [in UPDF uniform] waited from,” the workmate said.
The news of Mr Bwambale’s alleged abduction circulated on social media platforms on Sunday evening, with NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, aka Bobi Wine, raising concern.
Bwambale’s brother Wycliffe Masereka said they have not received any information regarding his whereabouts, with authorities at SIU Kireka denying his detention.
“We sent some colleagues to SIU in Kireka to trace him but we are yet to receive the feedback,” Mr Masereka said.
“We do not understand why he was arrested because has not been in active politics since 2021 when he was arrested for two months on cases of treason before he was set free by the court,” he added.
Appeal
Mr Masereka urged all the relevant authorities, including police and UPDF, to ensure that his brother gets justice on time.
“I am sure Geoffrey [Bwambale] committed no offence, he is just a nurse and an ordinary Ugandan, he needs justice because he was taking care of our critically ill parents,” he said.
Monitor also learnt Mr Bwambale’s six-year old daughter, whom he stayed with, is currently stranded with no caretaker.
When contacted, the UPDF spokesperson, Brig Gen Felix Kulayigye, could not confirm whether or not Mr Bwambale was in the hands of the army.
“I don’t have any information about the said incident but I will revert in case the information becomes available,” he said by telephone yesterday.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga did not respond to our repeated messages and phone calls.
