National Unity Platform (NUP) leaders led by Mr Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu aka Bobi WIne (left) converge for a meeting with the delegation from European Union led by Ambassador Jan Sadek (seated on Mr Kyagulanyi’s left), the Ambassador of the European Union to Uganda,at the party’s headquarters in Makerere, Kampala City, on May 12, 2025. PHOTO/MICHAEL KAKUMIRIZI
Uganda’s biggest opposition political party, the National Unity Platform (NUP) has implored the European Union mission in Uganda to press hard the ruling NRM government over the worsening human rights situation in the country.
Several party members have been targeted by the security forces, with many of them being abducted, tortured, and detained incommunicado. During a closed-door meeting yesterday at the party headquarters in Kampala, the party reportedly asked the EU team to do more to ensure individuals in the hands of the security forces are released.
Mr Robert Kyagulanyi, the NUP president, told journalists shortly after the meeting with the EU delegates that the party presented the issue of gross human rights violations on their members to the EU. Citing the recent example of Edward Ssebuufu alias Eddie Mutwe, who was abducted on April 26 in Mukono District, Mr Kyagulanyi said his party members go through such ordeals every day.
“Though the discussion was about our preparation for the general elections, we focused mainly on the issue of human rights violations. We took the opportunity to also raise our concerns about the seeming hobnobbing of the diplomats with a clearly brutal person that is [President] Museveni’s son Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba. I took the opportunity to also raise the plight of our brother Edward Ssebufu, alias Eddie Mutwe, who is rotting away in jail, there is a need to save his life and ensure he gets urgent specialised treatment,” Mr Kyagulanyi said.
Mr Jan Sadek, the ambassador of EU in Uganda, said the team is expected to conduct a series of meetings with different political parties ahead of the 2026 General Election. He appealed to all political parties to respect democracy, constitutionalism and remain calm to achieve fair and credible election results.
“With NUP leadership, we discussed the status of affairs in Uganda and how this will affect the elections next year. We have seen this year that there has been some violence in the recently concluded Kawempe North by-election, as well as lately kind of interventions by the security forces against team members of the NUP president,” Mr Sadek said.
Earlier warning
During the EU Day celebration at his official residence in Kololo, a plush Kampala residential area, the head of European Union mission to Uganda, berated Ugandan security forces for high-handedness in dealing with the dissenting voices opposed to President Museveni’s rule of 39 years.
Mr Sadek said the EU promotes multilateralism, rule of law, and human rights and that it is not afraid to speak the truth even when it is uncomfortable.
“This is true also here in Uganda. Over the past months, we have followed developments with concern. We have observed extra-judicial actions by security forces; arbitrary detentions and degrading treatment of political opponents and journalists; and an alarming militarisation of the political sphere. The use of military force against civilians, with apparent impunity, contradicts the principles of the rule of law,” he said.
Mr Sadek said the continued abductions and torture of Opposition figures is a big dent on Uganda’s global image.
He, however, also thanked the lone and isolated voices that continue to speak against such extra-judicial actions by the security forces.
“We welcome the official voices in Uganda, including Justice Minister Mao and chairperson [Mariam] Wangadya of the Uganda Human Rights Commission, who have spoken out against such intimidation. We value the independence of the Judiciary and we call on all actors to ensure a calm, inclusive and credible process ahead of the elections in early 2026. The Ugandan people deserve no less,” he said.
In a separate, but related event, Dr Joel Mirembe, the secretary general of Uganda Medical Association, said the medical fraternity is appalled by what is happening in the country and will continue to speak out against such acts of torture and violation of fundamental human rights by the state actors.
“We are gravely concerned by ongoing reports of physical and psychological torture, cruelty, and brutal treatment of Ugandans by government security agencies—institutions mandated to protect citizens, their property, and the country's boundaries. A recent example is the case of Ssebuufu Edward, also known as Eddie Mutwe,” Dr Mirembe said.
Mr Mutwe had been detained incommunicado for over a week before he was driven and dumped at Masaka High Court, where he was charged and remanded. He told those who visited him that he was brutally tortured and suffocated using waterboarding. Mr Mutwe was reportedly tortured daily during detention—beaten with metallic wires, electrocuted including on his genitals and other body parts, denied access to private medical doctors and family, and subjected to psychological torture, such as being forbidden to speak his native language, Luganda.
The medical workers said such actions by his “captors reportedly under the command of the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba were condemned by Uganda Human Rights Commission Chairperson Mariam Wangadya, who ordered Mr Mutwe’s unconditional release from illegal detention. This directive was not honoured by the CDF.
In response to these reports, we visited Mr Mutwe on May 7, 2025 to assess his health status”.
“Our findings corroborated the ordeal shared by his lawyer following Mr Mutwe’s mysterious disappearance and eventual appearance in court after detention in undisclosed locations. Mr Mutwe had multiple visible signs of torture, including healing scars, open wounds, swelling in his lower limbs and parts of his hands, and bruises. His hair and beard had been trimmed. He was clearly in immense physical and psychological pain and had to be carried into the visitor’s room by fellow inmates,” part of the UMA stated.
It added: “Through visible distress, he described being stripped naked, mocked, physically, sexually, and verbally abused, subjected to sensory deprivation, mock executions, and denied humane conditions. He broke down in tears while recounting his experience, and expressed grave fear for his life should he be denied proper medical care.”
Justice minister Norbert Mao, in a tongue-in-cheek response to the EU ambassador during the EU Day celebrations, said while the country is not perfect and a lot has gone wrong, efforts are also being made to right those wrongs.
