Messach Kiwanuka was among the 19 NUP supporters who were convicted of treachery and unlawful possession of ammunition but were granted the presidential pardon. PHOTO/MICHEAL KAKUMIRIZI
My troubles started on May 8, 2021, when I left home in Kawempe for Kampala City centre.
By 6pm, I started receiving repeated calls from some unknown numbers, which I ignored. But after more of the calls came through, I decided to pick up.
‘’So, you’re not picking up phone calls, do you think you can hide,’’ the caller warned. I told him I had the choice to pick up or ignore calls.
He then said they wanted to talk to me, and added that I had stolen a motorcycle taxi popularly referred to as boda boda.
I told them the bikes I ride are not boda boda, but they insisted I had stolen one from a boda boda stage and used it to transport a woman to Mulago.
I rejected their claims, but he persisted. “Are you not Messach Kiwanuka?”
He then mentioned my wife’s name, Madina, and provided more vivid details.
“We know where you stay, we know your children, so decide whether you want to meet us or not? Your child Daniella is playing on the compound, and your wife is behind the house, so decide if you want to meet us or not.”
Feeling ensnared, I feared I would now be kidnapped. I then asked where they were, and told them I was coming home, but would pass by Taibah High School.
I then phoned my contact in the security circles who advised that I should pass by. But I soon realised the security agents were interlinked and were working together.
Before I could reach Kawempe Police Station, on the outskirts of Kampala, the notorious Toyota Hiace van popularly called drone and known for spates of kidnaps across the country, squeaked to a stop around me. A military vehicle, and a Toyota Premio car all lunged at me.
The security agents jumped out with guns drawn and pointed at me. It all looked surreal, but I managed to mutter something about who they were, only to be met by a command of “lala chini!’ I did not understand and was quickly swept off my feet and bundled into the Toyota Premio car.
After two days, I learnt that I was in Bukoto, a Kampala City suburb. That same night, they came again looking for someone they named Sseguja. They asked me who he was and I told them to call him since they knew who he was.
They also asked me what NUP party leader Robert Kyagulanyi, better known by his stage name of Bobi Wine, is planning. I said I did not know since Bobi Wine was at his residence at Magere, a Kampala City suburb, and I was with them in detention.
After picking up everyone that they wanted, they took us to a safe house in Kilokole. In their custody were Rashid Sseguja, Joseph Muganza and they took us to Bweyogerere to pick up more people.
They then drove us back to Bukoto for more interrogation before they detained us at the Kireka Special Investigations Unit for one month.
We were frequently interrogated and asked to accept the charges which we didn’t know. I was directed to accept that I was fighting the government, but refused because I had never joined the streets in rallies. They told me from my day of arrest that I must accept the charges, but I rejected and was detained for some time because their main target was that we must confess.
Court martial
The following month, on a date I don’t recall, I was taken again to the army court, charged with possessing fire ammunitions then after a year the charge was amended.
At the General Court Martial, we were given three options. One was to choose a team that does not lose cases. The second was that we were not the first to appear in the court because many more had been imprisoned for more than 10 years. Lastly, we were told to accept the crimes for which we were charged, whether we committed them or not.
We were then remanded to Kitalya Prison until June 22, 2021, when we would reappear in court, but this never happened until December 15, 2021.
Life in prison
Life in Kitalya prison was extremely hard. At the time, not even porridge was served in the morning. I used to eat once a day at about 3pm, but the food was unbearable and that’s why some of us are losing our memories.
We were also crammed into the wards as each squeezed as many as 380 to 400 inmates, yet the official holding capacity was only 150 prisoners for each ward.
We also showered only once a week.
Confessing crimes
I know everyone is interested in confessing to the crimes we were charged with. But this did not just come from the blue. It started the day we were abducted. I was told if I wanted my freedom, I had to accept the crimes for which I was charged but did not commit.
The authorities used to send different people who knew our innocence, but told us that our charges were based on our association with Mr Kyagulanyi. But my association with Bobi Wine came through studying with some of his family members at Lubiri SS in Kampala. They became my friends. So, I decided to follow Bobi Wine and his political principles, but that should not mean l was going to accept the crimes that I was charged with but never committed.
I engaged different people on my case, but I want to acknowledge Ms Alice Kaboyo who did all she could to secure our freedom. She came first before Youth and Children’s Affairs minister Balaam Barugahara.
We had asked for bail four times but they were always denied due to one reason or the other.
At the last bail hearing, someone named Muzikiti from Crime Intelligence, who was unknown to the prisoners, police and the General Court Martial but was believed to have written a document which dictated that no bail was to be issued yet we had sureties, including the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, and all the MPs of National Unity Platform (NUP) party.
Mr Kyagulanyi later came and talked to us advising us to do all it took to get out of prison and that he and the party would welcome us. I also thought intensely since l had a family, wife, and property. But if you ask me now where all that is, I would not answer.
Later on, Balaam came and told us to accept the crimes whether we did it or not. But before accepting the crimes for which we were charged, we had to first consult our lawyers to know the weight of the crimes.
They tendered in as evidence against us – empty jerry cans, and plastic bottles of Uganda Waragi – saying we could fill them with paraffin and make explosives. They refused to listen to us testify against the mafia set up.
So, we had to accept the crimes for which we were charged to be granted a presidential pardon, and we were released on November 22.
Why detention?
Mr Kiwanuka was among the 19 NUP supporters who were convicted of treachery and unlawful possession of ammunition but were granted the presidential pardon after four years in prison. He now calls upon the law enforcers to do their role as many Ugandans spend years in prison without facing court.
"The legal system in Uganda is one that is failing Ugandans. The security personnel and arresting officers can plant on one anything and before one knows it, one is jailed for 10 years."
"I urge the law enforcers to be streamlined and do their work. You cannot arrest and detain someone for more than 10 years. We left them there and others were there because a certain big fellow directed them and the judge couldn't do anything.”
I want to thank NUP party president who stood with us and comforted us.
