Kampala — The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has resolved to engage United Nations special procedures over the continued disappearance of opposition activist Sam Mugumya, amid fresh claims that he is being held at a military facility in Kasenyi, Wakiso District.
In a statement issued Wednesday, the ULS said it was closely following developments surrounding Mugumya’s disappearance, including video footage that has heightened concern over his whereabouts and condition.
The Society said efforts by Mugumya’s lawyers to secure his production through court, including applications for a writ of habeas corpus, had so far failed to establish his whereabouts.
“The Uganda Law Society has resolved to engage the relevant United Nations Special Procedures on enforced and involuntary disappearances as a complementary avenue for accountability and protection,” said Asiimwe Anthony, the ULS Vice President.
The Society said the move was intended to reinforce the work of Mugumya’s lawyers and facilitate independent international scrutiny of the case.
The development follows fresh claims by lawyer Eron Kiiza that Mugumya is being held at a military or Special Forces Command (SFC) detention facility in Kasenyi.
Kiiza said witnesses had provided testimony to the High Court’s Civil Division alleging that they had seen Mugumya at the facility and that he had suffered severe physical abuse.
“Witnesses who have seen him, and whose testimonies we have placed before the High Court of Uganda, state that he is illegally detained at the military/SFC detention facility in Kasenyi, Wakiso District, and that he was nearly tortured to death,” Kiiza said.
He called on the High Court to order Mugumya’s release, describing the alleged detention as illegal and incommunicado.
The latest claim has not been independently verified, and Kiiza’s statement did not publicly provide evidence establishing that Mugumya is currently being held at Kasenyi.
Court previously ordered Mugumya’s production
Mugumya, a former aide to opposition politician Dr Kizza Besigye, reportedly disappeared on August 26, 2025, after being picked up by armed men in Mbarara.
His lawyers subsequently applied for a writ of habeas corpus, seeking an order compelling authorities to produce him before court.
On September 5, 2025, High Court Civil Division Judge Collins Acellam issued a writ ordering the respondents to produce Mugumya before a competent court or account for his detention. The ruling cited constitutional protections of personal liberty under Articles 23(9) and 44(d).
The UPDF subsequently denied having Mugumya in its custody.
In an affidavit filed before the High Court, Lt Col Edgar Musasizi, Director of Civil Affairs at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, said the military had searched its detention facilities and records and found no record of Mugumya.
“I do satisfy and return that Sam Mugumya has not at any material time been in the custody of the respondents in this matter,” Musasizi stated in the affidavit.
The UPDF also said inquiries had been made among officers under the relevant commands and that it had no information about Mugumya’s whereabouts.
Fresh footage raises concern
The latest allegations follow the circulation of videos online in July and September that purportedly show Mugumya in a severely weakened physical condition.
A video published Wednesday by Pulse Uganda appears to show a man identified as Mugumya walking slowly around a compound with assistance. The publication said it could not independently verify the location or date of the footage.
Another video circulated in July also purported to show Mugumya struggling to walk. Its authenticity and location were not independently established.
The videos have renewed calls from lawyers, relatives and other activists for authorities to account for Mugumya’s whereabouts and condition.
Mugumya’s mother, Edinansi Katungwesi, has previously sought assistance from the Uganda Law Society in establishing her son’s whereabouts.
The ULS said the continued uncertainty surrounding Mugumya’s location and legal status raised concerns about the effectiveness of constitutional safeguards, including the right to habeas corpus.
ULS seeks international scrutiny
In its latest statement, the Law Society said Parliament had also been unable to secure what it described as full government accountability over the matter, despite efforts by the Leader of the Opposition.
The Society said it was concerned about what it described as a pattern in which constitutional protections and the remedy of habeas corpus had not resulted in clarity over Mugumya’s whereabouts.
It said engagement with UN special procedures would provide a complementary mechanism for seeking accountability and protection while Mugumya’s lawyers continued pursuing the matter domestically.
“The Society remains seized of the matter to secure clarity on Mr. Mugumya’s location, condition, and legal status,” Asiimwe said.
As of Wednesday, there was no publicly available confirmation from the UPDF or other government authorities that Mugumya is being held at Kasenyi, and no official confirmation of the torture allegations.
The UPDF’s publicly documented position remains that Mugumya is not in its custody.
