NRM legislator Ofwono Opondo has questioned the government’s handling of reported abductions and alleged torture by security agencies, joining Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi in demanding explanations over missing persons and detainees who have reportedly not been produced in court.
The two legislators raised the concerns during a parliamentary sitting on Thursday, with Opondo challenging the government to account for the conduct of security personnel and respond to allegations of human rights violations.
Opondo, who represents older persons in the Eastern Region, cited the case of human rights activist Praise Aloikin Opoloje, whose reported detention and alleged assault featured in the debate.
According to the account presented in Parliament, Opoloje was allegedly lured to a police station about three weeks earlier before being taken away by individuals identified as members of the Chieftaincy of Military Intelligence (CMI).
She was reportedly placed in a vehicle commonly referred to as a “drone” and assaulted.
Questioning the circumstances surrounding the incident, Opondo challenged the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) government to explain whether such treatment of citizens was acceptable.
He called on the ministers of Internal Affairs and Defence, alongside the Attorney General, to provide explanations regarding Opoloje’s case and other reported incidents of abductions and unlawful detention.
Ssenyonyi backed the demand for accountability, urging security agencies to disclose the whereabouts of people reported missing and ensure that detained persons are produced before courts of law.
The Leader of the Opposition has previously presented lists of people reported missing to the government, demanding information about their whereabouts and access to their families and lawyers for those in detention.
He also cautioned against treating NRM members who raise concerns about alleged human rights abuses as disloyal to the ruling party.
The debate extended to a government report on people allegedly abducted or detained without being presented in court. The Executive had previously been given approximately two weeks to provide information on specific cases, but the report had not been presented by Thursday’s sitting.
Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa indicated reservations about imposing a firm deadline on the National Security Council to submit the information.
Ssenyonyi expressed frustration over the delay, saying some of the cases had remained unresolved for months.
The parliamentary exchanges highlight continued demands for the government to account for allegations of enforced disappearances, prolonged detention and mistreatment by security agencies.
The allegations raised during the sitting had not been conclusively established in the account provided. The government and the security agencies concerned were being asked to clarify the circumstances surrounding the reported incidents and account for the people whose whereabouts remain in question.
