ICT worker goes missing for 4 months

For four months now, Mr Isaac Ainembabazi, 32, an employee at the Ministry of Information Communication Technology, has been missing, leaving his family and workmates in panic.

Mr Ainembabazi who worked in the ministry’s communication department went missing in November 2020. He had been working at the ministry since 2016.

Mr Daraus Bahikire, a workmate, yesterday said by the time Ainembabazi disappeared, he was staying with his friends in Kiwatule suburb. 

Mr Bahikire said Mr Ainembabazi had been working from home following the changes at office which were prompted by Covid-19 pandemic. 

He also said his colleague had no history of mental illness but was addicted to alcohol.
“By the time I met him in Kiwatule in November, he told me that he was staying with some friends but he didn’t offer more details. So when he went missing, his parents informed me and we reported the matter to Kiwatule Police Station,” Mr Bahikire recounted.

He said though police arrested Mr Ainembabazi’s associates, they later released them after finding no evidence that suggested culpability. He also said police tracked his mobile phone to establish his whereabouts but in vain.

Asked about their last moments together, Ms Sarah Andida, his fiancee, said she last saw Mr Ainembabazi on November 22 when he left their rented house in Ntinda-Kigowa and told her that he had gone to be with his friends for some time.

She said during the search process, police informed them that they had picked a decomposing body of a man from a swamp in Kisaasi and when they went to check, some parts like the arms looked like those of Mr Ainembabazi although the face could barely be recognised.

Doctors carried out a DNA test but Ms Andida says they are yet to get results from the government analytical laboratory.

The Commissioner for Information, Dissemination, Monitoring and Inspection at the ICT ministry, Mr Moses Watasa, said they were fully involved in the search for Mr Ainembabazi.  

“The whole situation is traumatising. The relevant authorities haven’t done much to help us because we have been paying some money to facilitate the search process. I call upon the ICT ministry to step up efforts in searching for their worker because they haven’t shown serious action since he went missing,” Ms Andida said. 

When contacted yesterday, the Commissioner for Information, Dissemination, Monitoring and Inspection at the ICT ministry Mr Moses Wetasa said they were fully involved in the search for Mr Ainembabazi.  

“We have heightened the search for Mr Ainembabazi and we have engaged all security bodies about this matter. However, the search hasn’t yet borne any fruits but we will not give up on the search because he’s our employee and we are in touch with his family,” Mr Wetasa said.

“We registered that case but we haven’t been successful with investigations. We are in touch with the family and in case of any breakthrough we will let them know,” said Mr Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Spokesman for Kampala Metropolitan Police. 
 
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