UPDF under spotlight over Nalufenya-like torture chamber

Members of the Parliamentary committee on defence and internal affairs have put the ministry of defense to task to explain the existence of an alleged detention and torture chamber at the UPDF headquarters in Mbuya.

According to Butambala county MP Muwanga Kivumbi, the Uganda People's defence Forces (UPDF) has since established a Nalufenya like torture and detention center.

"I have reliable information that you have established a detention and torture chamber at Mbuya. We are told, it is worse than Nalufenya. In this Mbuya detention chamber, people are blindfolded, tortured and brutalised," Muwanga Kivumbi said.

Kivumbi told the defence officials that the alleged torture chambers were under the control of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).

However, in response, the state minister of defence Charles Engola Okello who had among other ministry of defense officials on Tuesday appeared before the committee to defend the ministry's budget for the financial year 2018/19, denied knowledge of the detention center.

"It is shocking news to us. We have never heard about such a thing in the UPDF. We are however, going to investigate and get back to the committee," Engola assured. The MPs noted that torturing suspects is an abuse of human rights.