Mukono North, located east of Kampala, was among the hotspots where several National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters were allegedly abducted ahead of the polls. At the time, the then-State Minister for Water and Environment, Ronald Kibuule, was accused by opposition politicians of orchestrating these detentions.
![]()
Kamira and survivors of abduction confessing before the public.
In a surprising twist, some individuals previously listed as victims of politically motivated abductions in Mukono North have come forward with testimonies that challenge the widely accepted narrative surrounding the 2021 general elections.
Mukono North, located east of Kampala, was among the hotspots where several National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters were allegedly abducted ahead of the polls. At the time, the then-State Minister for Water and Environment, Ronald Kibuule, was accused by opposition politicians of orchestrating these detentions.
However, new accounts suggest the story may be more complex than originally portrayed. Augustine Kamira, one of the alleged abductees, now says the ordeal was politicized. He recounts being picked up in January 2021, along with seven others, by men in plain clothes traveling in unmarked Toyota Hiace vans, locally referred to as "drones."
“We were blindfolded and taken to a warehouse where we were tortured and accused of participating in the November 2020 riots following Bobi Wine’s arrest,” Kamira said. He further claims that upon their release, some opposition leaders encouraged them to publicly blame Kibuule for their detention.
“Some people were given money. I kept quiet to recover, but I can’t stay silent while the opposition continues to use the abduction narrative to win sympathy,” Kamira added.
Another youth, Hamis Kabaya, popularly known as General Kabaya, shared a different account. He alleges that he and ten others were taken to a plastic and juice factory in Bweyogerere, allegedly linked to a relative of current Mukono North MP Abdallah Kiwanuka.
“We weren’t tortured. We worked at the factory over the Christmas period. When we returned, we were told to say we had been abducted for supporting NUP,” Kabaya revealed.
He admitted to participating in confrontations during the campaign period, including a fight at Katoogo trading center, after being asked to remove campaign posters of President Museveni and Ronald Kibuule.
Despite the contradictions in these accounts, the disappearance of two youths—Yuda Ssempijja and Muhammad Kanata— from Mukono North remains unresolved.
“The place I was held had many others. But there could have been different locations. I can’t rule out that some didn’t survive,” Kamira said.
When contacted for comment, MP Abdallah Kiwanuka dismissed the revelations as fabrications fueled by bribery. “These people are being used. Even the journalists writing these stories are compromised,” Kiwanuka said, without offering evidence.
Former minister Ronald Kibuule, speaking publicly for the first time in years, questioned the rationale behind the long-standing accusations.
“Why would I abduct people from my own constituency or even from places like Iganga and Nakasongola? If I was behind these actions, wouldn’t I go for political threats?” he asked.
He also pointed out that Kiwanuka, a lawyer by profession, had never sued him over the alleged abductions. “That says a lot. He’s using these stories for political gain. But voters now want leaders to be judged by service, not sympathy,” Kibuule stated.
As the 2026 general elections draw closer, Mukono North is re-emerging as a political battleground where past wounds are being reopened. While some testimonies suggest exaggeration or fabrication, others highlight the tragic reality of torture and disappearances during the election season. What remains indisputable is the pain and uncertainty for families of those still missing—and the growing public demand for truth, accountability, and meaningful representation.
