I was abducted from lunch of rolex, says NUP's Kujambu

I was then dragged and forced into the dreaded Toyota Hiace van popularly called a drone and often used by plain cloth operatives to abduct civilians. 

I was quickly handcuffed as they drove around the city picking up more suspects, who included Rugumayo, and dropping them off at the Crime Intelligence (CI) headquarters, somewhere in Bukoto, on the outskirts of Kampala City. 

My long ordeal

At Bukoto, I was quizzed on who I was working with and who were investing in me from Rwanda, Kenya, and South Africa. In between the questions were kicks and beatings, even as I told them I had no idea about their questions. 

I was subjected to more questions and beatings until they broke my right knee, with an X-ray scan later done at Kitalya Prison revealing I would never regain the use of my knee. 

We were later taken to a safe house in Kireka on the fringes of Kampala City, and detained for a month. Here we were told to accept the crimes for which we were accused of to gain our freedom, but I rejected the proposal. 

Sadly, for all the years I was detained at Kitalya, I was frequently visited by my kinsmen from home but all of them died mysteriously, yet they were the caretakers of my children. 

Courted to confess

On June 8, I was taken to the Makindye-based military court together with my colleagues and charged with illegal acquisition of ammunition before we were remanded to Kitalya Prison. 

After nearly two years in detention, we were charged with another crime of treachery; a case we did not understand until after six months when we were brought back to the military court and asked to confess the crimes. 

Again, I rejected the falsehoods. 

The NUP party lawyers promised help for any problem that would befall us, but my children were given school fees only twice and had to scavenge for livelihood in the village. 

Before I was abducted, I was a mobiliser for NUP party leader Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine. I mostly rallied party fans in Kira Municipality, especially around the Kirinya-Bweyogerere area. 

We won many supporters and our rivals tried to bribe me to sell off the declaration of results (DR) forms for Ms Ethel Naluyima with Shs18 million, but I refused. 

Had I given in, Ms Naluyima would not be the Wakiso District Woman Member of Parliament.

Reversal of fortunes

Before being taken to prison, I was dealing in cars and had saved up to nearly 18 million shillings, but all that disappeared after my arrest and detention. 

So, when they told us to confess the crimes for which we were charged, we talked to our lawyers to see if we could regain our freedom to return home. 

But our lawyers did not buy into our dilemma to accept the crimes. 

We then opted to get another lawyer, Capt Simon Nsubuga from the military court, and we accepted the crimes so that we could be set free and return home to help our children and family. 

I later realised that if I had not accepted the crimes, my children would have continued suffering yet those telling us not to accept the crimes were doing well and attending to their children while ours were picking up discarded plastic bottles to survive. 

After my confession, I was given three months and twenty-two days to be set free. I impatiently waited before I got a presidential pardon. 

I thank whosoever granted me this pardon and for having pity on me.

Earnest appeal

I urge the policymakers to stop abducting people without any substantial evidence. My abductors should have approached, warned or persuaded me to leave NUP. I would have avoided the crises that I got into, including pressing false charges against me. 

To my NUP president Kyagulanyi, he said we should judge them by their actions, but I have also seen they are not truthful. I call upon his staff to stop playing on people’s lives, especially those in prison. 

I also implore President Museveni to first teach civilians how the law works, especially the ghetto youth, now that we are going in for another round of campaigns before they are falsely charged and jailed again. 

I also ask him to help me repay the loans that I inherited from my father. 

Those pardoned

Last month, President Museveni pardoned 19 National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters who were convicted of treachery and unlawful possession of ammunition under the Uganda People’s Defence Forces Act and the Firearms Act. They were Olivia Lutaaya, Rashid Ssegujja, Robert Rugumayo, Muhydin Kakooza, Abdul Matovu, Mesach Kiwanuka, Ibrahim Wandera, Nagwere Asubat, Stephen Musaakuru, Muwanguzi Paul, Sharif Matovu, David Mafabi, alias Daudi wa Bobi, Livingstone Kigozi, Swaibu Katabi, Siraji Mudebo, Joseph Mugnaz, and Stanley Lwanga.

Compiled by Maria Jacinta Kannyange, David Walugembe, and Sylvia Namagembe