Tensions are high among members of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party in Johannesburg (South Africa), after three of their colleagues got kidnapped. The three who include: Rashid Kezimbira, James Kagolo, and Fred Binayomba were kidnapped from their apartment in Gauteng province.
According to NUP’s Chief Mobilizer in Johannesburg Petero Kansulaheba, the three are among many of their colleagues that have so far been arrested, assaulted, and detained under unclear circumstances, under the ongoing secretive hunt down of NUP supporters.
“It is sad that our members are being head hunted not that they are criminals, but because they voice their opinion, about the change Uganda’s politics desperately needs”. Kansulaheba added
He also recounted a recent incident, where their coordinator Saabwe Aloysious narrowly survived being kidnapped.
According to Saab’s wife a one Rose Nakyondwa, on the 09th/of October/2022 at the night, their home that is found in Vanderbijl park village was attacked by two armed men who forced her to open the door, and when she finally did, they searched the whole house looking for Saabwe but in vain.
Nakyondwa reiterates that much as she explained to the men that her husband was not home at the time, she was tortured and assaulted while being forced to reveal the whereabouts of her absent husband, or else go to jail on his behalf.
The heavily pregnant Nakyondwa says she suffered from depression after the angry men grilled her for over two hours, demanding her to produce her husband to them.
This comes at a time when National Unity Platform-NUP, the largest opposition political party in Uganda has renewed its call to security organs to release all its supporters who were arrested since 2020 at the height of the presidential campaigns.
The party president and former presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, said that the government should either produce before the court all those it is illegally holding because of their political views or unconditionally release them.
Many NUP supporters are being accused of being found in possession of red berets, which the military claims are reserved as military attire.
However, Kyagulanyi said that these arrests were aimed at weakening their fight against President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s government.
