Uganda Police have released details about the abduction of Charles Bukenya Muvawala, the Vice President of the Uganda North American Association (UNAA), confirming that CCTV footage captured his last known movements before he disappeared on the night of March 5th.
At a press briefing on Monday, Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke revealed that footage from Happy Boys Bar in Nakulabye, Kampala, shows Muvawala leaving the bar and briefly interacting with unidentified individuals before boarding a motorcycle.
According to Rusoke, that was the last recorded movement before Muvawala was reported missing. His driver, identified as Busingye, had reported Muvawala’s disappearance to the Old Kampala Police Station after Muvawala failed to return following a trip to an ATM at around 1:00 AM.
“And the little I can report is that the CCTV footage we have come across shows, at one point, Mr Muvawala leaves the bar, then meets some people whom we have not yet identified, and he has a short conversation with them. After that short conversation, he then took a motorcycle. He took a motorcycle, and that is the last time a police monitors his movements.” Rusoke explained.
After his disappearance, Muvawala was found on March 7th in Buliisa District, dumped in a swamp and showing visible signs of torture. The circumstances surrounding his abduction remain unclear.
Rusoke noted that police had attempted to follow up with Muvawala’s driver, but they were instead directed to NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya and Deputy Spokesperson Waiswa Mufumbiro for further details.
So, it is on the evening of 7th March, when his brother informs police that he has been found in Bulisa, dumped by his captors. When we wanted to re-engage Mr Busingye, the driver, he advised us that for any further details, we should get in touch with the Secretary General of NUP, Mr Rubongoya and the Deputy Spokesperson of NUP.
In a further development, police have urged Muvawala and other relevant parties to formally cooperate with the investigation to clarify the circumstances surrounding his abduction. Rusoke appealed for assistance, saying,
“We are asking Mr. Muvawala to come forward and provide any further details that might help with our investigation. We are committed to getting to the bottom of what happened.”
Meanwhile, in response to the growing speculation and accusations surrounding the case, UPDF Spokesperson Maj. Gen. Felix Kulayigye categorically denied any involvement by the military in Muvawala’s abduction.
“The security forces, particularly the UPDF, are not responsible for abductions. We operate within the law, and if anyone has evidence pointing to our involvement, it should be presented in the proper legal channels,” Maj. Gen. Kulayigye stated in a televised interview
The UPDF spokesperson’s comments came after opposition figures and human rights activists raised concerns about a pattern of forced disappearances, with some speculating that the state may be behind Muvawala’s abduction.
Some sources however reveal that Muvawala and group are chickening out of letting security organs take over investigations fully because the alleged kidnap was a mastermind of the opposition party NUP with the aim of getting public sympathy and tainting the image of the government and security organs.
It is said that Muvawala’s kidnap was faked and his conspicuous reappearance says it all. Intelligence based findings reveal that he was in touch with the NUP Secretary General Rubongoya through another phone while missing. It is also alleged that following his reappearance Rubongoya was the first person to arrive at the scene in Buliisa at a record time.
Muvawala’s inconsistent tales of how he went missing, what transpired while away and how he escaped or was released by his captors has also left loopholes in the abduction allegations.
Despite the tensions and accusations, police have called for patience as they continue their investigation into the abduction of Muvawala, a case.
