National Unity Platform has tabled before Parliament a list of its supporters who are missing and those detained without trial on the request of newly appointed Minister of State for Youth Affairs Balaam Barugahara.
Leader of Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi backtracked on his earlier position after initially describing Barugahara as an “excited novice” who needed guidance.
However, April 4, he tabled the list before Parliament stressing that it will ensure there is no further excuse given by government.
“I seek your indulgence so that for the umpteenth time, I table those lists again so that there be no excuse from anybody because, there are people who are saying NUP isn’t availing these lists. All of a sudden, there are some people who care so much about these people. It is good that they now agree with us that these people are simply being persecuted,” said Ssenyonyi.
On social media, NUP shared lists of eighteen supporters abducted by state operatives and another of fifty-four supporters languishing in jail as political prisoners without trial.
“The same criminal regime which abducted, tortured and still holds onto our people now claims to not know them or where they are. For the record, here are some of the names of our disappeared or detained comrades,” Robert Kyagulanyi posted on X with lists of the missing and detained supporters.
Buyaga West MP Barnabas Tinkasimire described Barugahara’s request as “strange”, wondering if he was going to apply for amnesty.
“I am finding what we are discussing strange, and I will need guidance. We have the Amnesty law in this country, when the lists are laid before Parliament as requested by Balaam, are we handling some amnesty process? Because, when you are suspected of committing a crime, you are produced before courts of law and due process is followed. It is those who choose to ask for Amnesty and formally apply for it in the Amnesty Commission that are given Amnesty. Was he applying for Amnesty?” remarked Tinkasimire.
At his recent swearing in ceremony at State House, Barugahara appealed to President Yoweri Museveni to release the NUP supporters. He paraded one Ali Katerega, a NUP councilor from Masaka who made the appeal.