Tensions flared in Parliament on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, as the Leader of the Opposition, Hon. Joel Ssenyonyi, criticised the government over the continued detention of Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira, a Roman Catholic priest from Masaka District.
Ssenyonyi described the priest’s detention as an illegal act and a violation of fundamental human rights.
Raising the matter on the parliamentary floor, Ssenyonyi questioned the involvement of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) in the priest’s arrest, noting that the Uganda Police Force is constitutionally mandated to handle arrests and detentions.
“My concern is not only that he was unlawfully arrested, but that he is being held in a non-gazetted place. He cannot be accessed by lawyers, doctors, or family members,” Ssenyonyi said, highlighting that nearly two weeks had passed without the priest being produced in court.
Kalungu West MP, Hon. Joseph Ssewungu, warned that the arrest had caused unrest in Masaka and surrounding areas. “Let the priest be brought to court and tried. This will solve the many worries and challenges in Masaka. Otherwise, I can assure you that we, the opposition, will win votes over you because of how the priest has been treated,” Ssewungu said.
Bugiri Municipality MP, Hon. Asuman Basalirwa, called for accountability, urging that the specific UPDF officers involved be identified and sanctioned, noting that the circumstances raised serious legal and constitutional concerns.
In response, Attorney General Hon. Kiryowa Kiwanuka assured Parliament that the priest would be produced in court and that investigations were underway.
“I do not feign ignorance. I do not dispute the document tabled, where the UPDF stated that they are holding the person in custody. We are following up to ensure the priest is presented in court as fast as possible, and that anyone who is found to have violated the law will be sanctioned,” Kiwanuka said.
Separately, Kiwanuka addressed concerns regarding UPDF and electoral operations ahead of January’s national elections. Responding to questions on restrictions preventing voters and MPs from remaining near polling stations after voting, Kiwanuka clarified: “Even you, the members of parliament, must not stay at the polling station after voting. You can remain 20 to 100 metres away, that’s perfectly fine, but not at the polling station.”
He reassured MPs that the UPDF had not taken over the management of elections, which remain under the jurisdiction of the Electoral Commission.
The standoff over Rev. Fr. Ssekabira’s detention and the legal ambiguities surrounding voter restrictions have drawn criticism from opposition legislators, including members of the National Unity Platform (NUP), who have urged citizens to safeguard their votes while calling for government accountability.
