MINISTER | MISSING PERSONS

KAMPALA - Government is set to provide a hotline to receive complaints and any other form of information regarding people arrested in the recent joint security operations.

This is in the wake of President Yoweri Museveni’s directive to the security forces to provide the public with a detailed update on the people arrested in operations before, during and after the January 14 polls.

In a televised address on Saturday about Uganda’s security following reports of several missing persons especially opposition supporters, the President urged Ugandans to ‘ignore the talk of disappearances’ saying that was unacceptable under the NRM government.

However, Museveni revealed that over 318 people he referred to as “domestic terrorists” have been arrested since November 2020.

These according to Museveni were arrested by a distinguished commando unit from Somalia which had also destroyed Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) rebels and the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

Museveni acknowledged that their operations have curtailed new schemes of criminality that emerged during the election season.

 He said the arrests were mostly carried out in Kampala, Mukono, Mpigi, Kyotera, Nakasongola and Wakiso.

“Security people should make this information available to the public so that this talk of disappearance is answered,” Museveni directed.

The information minister Judith Nabakooba told reporters at a press conference in Kampala on Sunday (February 14, 2021) that the security chiefs are scheduled to address the country any time in line with the President’s directive.

She disclosed that a hotline will immediately be established to aid the public seeking information or who have complaints on arrested persons to do so.

“A hotline will be provided for relatives to call and lodge their complaints. The security persons will determine who is there to respond and also relay the same complaints to the respective officers who can take action,” Nabakooba said.

Nabakooba said security officials who use torture against suspects are against the law and are liable to prosecution.

Relatedly, Nabakooba re-echoed the government’s call to the development partners to respect Uganda’s democracy and internal decisions.

“We deserve to be respected for what we are doing and also we need to be contacted before someone runs off to make declarations publicly,” she said.

In his address, President Yoweri called on Ugandans not to be bothered by the alleged foreign interference in the country’s internal affairs saying “some foreigners have always been wrong about Uganda.”

"I want to comment on the excitement caused by some foreigners trying to interfere in our affairs. I read in the newspapers about the EU Parliament sanctioning some Ugandans from traveling.

For anybody to think that Africans are dying to go to Europe is something that shows lack of seriousness,” Museveni said.