Relatives of detained, missing NUP supporters laud party leaders for support
Leader of opposition in Parliament, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi (right) with other NUP leaders handing over scholastic materials to family members of the detained, dead, arrested and abducted supporters at the party headquarters in Kavule, Kawempe Division in Kampala on February 8, 2024. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
What you need to know:
- The NUP secretary general, Mr Lewis Rubongoya noted that the parading of the victims’ relatives is proof that the issue of missing persons is not a political matter as branded by some government authorities.
The relatives of missing and detained National Unity Platform (NUP) party supporters who received scholastic materials at the party headquarters on February 8 have commended the party leaders for the unconditional support towards the education of the victims’ children.
Among others, the families of the victims received books, pens, reams of papers, toilet papers, buckets and sanitary towels for girls. The families which turned up for the support include those of the alleged missing persons like John Bosco Kibalama, Shafic Wangolo, John Ddamulira, Moses Mbabazi, Michael Ssemuddu and Martin Lukwago.
Ms Khadijah Bazibu, mother to missing Shafic Wangolo reiterated that with the party’s support, she has managed to school the five grandchildren who were left helpless after the arrest of their father.
“We continue to demand for our people but we thank Mr [Robert] Kyagulanyi and the entire NUP leadership for standing with us during this trying time. We have always received the necessary support whenever we reach out to the party leaders,” she said.
Ms Monica Nabukeera, Kibalama’s wife, expressed her gratitude for the party’s education support extended to their four children.
“We are hopeful that one day justice will be served and our children will reunite with their fathers. My appreciation goes to NUP for always reaching out to us with physical and psychological support,” she said.
NUP Secretary General, Mr David Lewis Rubongoya (right)together with Bukoto East MP, Mr Evans Kanyike hands over scholastic materials to family members of their supporters who were arrested, adbucted and deceased, on February 8, 2024 at Kavule in Kampala. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
NUP secretary general, Mr David Lewis Rubongoya noted that the parading of the victims’ relatives is proof that the issue of missing persons is not a political matter as branded by some government authorities.
“We are not doing this for sympathy, but to re-affirm that there are people who are still missing or detained who need justice,” he said.
“We want these children to have a bright future so that they can disapprove the regime which thought that their future would be shuttered by its illegalities,” he added.
Mr Rubongoya revealed that the party is currently supporting 189 children of the missing, detained, tortured (incapacitated) and dead supporters.
He emphasised that due to financial constraints and increasing needs from the affected families, the party is looking for partners to sustain support to the families.
School fees crisis
The Leader of Opposition (LoP) in Parliament, Mr Joel Ssenyonyi used the ceremony to ask government for immediate interventions on the untenable school fees and other requirements which he said to be forcing learners out of school.
“As children are going back to school, the cost of education including in some government schools is worrying. Schools are charging Shs3-4m as school fees, not including other requirements. Officials in charge are simply sleeping on the job because they are also players in the education sector, this is unacceptable,” he said.
