In a dramatic turn of events, families of the 18 missing National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters have stormed the High Court in Kampala, seeking justice against the Attorney General, whom they accuse of failing to account for the whereabouts of their loved ones.
Led by Nabukeera Monica Catherine, wife of Kibalama John Bosco, a former accountant with BAT who disappeared mysteriously on June 3, 2019, the group comprises wives, children, and mothers desperate for information about their missing family members.
The list of the missing NUP supporters includes names like Kibalama John Bosco, Damulira John, Wangolo Shaific, Lukwago Martin, Ssemudu Micheal, Musisi Mbowa, Nalumoso Vincent, Denis Zzimula, Muhammad Kanata, Goerge Kasumba, Moses Mbabazi, Yuda Ssempijja, Arafat Mugumya, Peter Kirya, Mustafah Luwemba, Hassan Mubiru, Isa Ssessazi, and Godfrey Kisembo.
Despite seeking assistance from various authorities, including the police, Uganda Human Rights Commission, and Parliament, the families claim that their efforts to locate their missing relatives have been in vain. They’ve obtained court orders directing the government to produce the missing persons, dead or alive, but with no success. Now, they have resorted to filing a formal suit through NUP lawyer George Musisi.
The families are seeking declarations from the High Court that the continued incommunicado detention of their relatives by security agents is unlawful, illegal, and a violation of their fundamental human rights as enshrined in the Constitution. Additionally, they are demanding a court order for compensation due to the breach of their loved ones’ constitutional rights, emphasizing that all previous attempts to find them have yielded no results.
The case has been allocated to Justice Esta Nambayo, with the hearing scheduled for April 8, 2024, as confirmed by Counsel George Musisi. The families are gearing up for a legal battle to uncover the truth behind the disappearance of their missing NUP supporters.
Compiled by Rashidah Nakaayi
