The Uganda Police have addressed the confusion surrounding the arrest of Fred Nyanzi, the National Unity Platform (NUP) chief mobiliser and brother to NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine.
On Monday, Bobi Wine publicly announced that his brother had been “abducted” by unidentified security personnel and taken to an unknown location.
Later that day, the Leader of Opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, claimed that Nyanzi had been abducted immediately after a meeting at the NUP headquarters in Kavule.
“He was ambushed and forcibly removed from his car near Kubiri. Our legal team is working tirelessly to trace his whereabouts. The regime seems to be in panic, especially as we intensify efforts to demand the release of all political prisoners,” Ssenyonyi said.
During an appearance on Sanyuka Television, NUP deputy spokesperson Alex Mufumbiro also claimed that Nyanzi was being held by the Directorate of Crime Intelligence.
However, in a statement released Thursday, the police refuted these claims, labeling them as false.
“We have noted the claims made by Alex Mufumbiro, the NUP Deputy Spokesperson, regarding the whereabouts of Fred Nyanzi. The allegations that he is being held by the Directorate of Crime Intelligence are untrue,” the police said.
The police further criticized Mufumbiro’s statement, calling it an example of unethical communication and urged him to be more responsible with the information he shares with the public, emphasizing the potential consequences for the image of institutions and individuals involved.
Nyanzi’s disappearance has left both NUP and his family deeply concerned, as his location remains unknown.
NUP’s legal team, led by lawyer George Musisi, has joined in the search and threatened to approach the courts to demand that Nyanzi be produced, whether dead or alive.
“At this stage, we have no other option but to petition the courts to compel those holding Nyanzi to produce him, whether alive or dead,” Musisi stated.
