Masaka residents in fear as security personnel conduct operations

Masaka, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Residents of Masaka are leaving in fear as security operatives conduct operations in the area. 

Several residents have reported cases of missing relatives and friends at Masaka district Central Police Station.  

Patrick Ssejjengo, a resident of Kijjabwemi cell in Masaka town is one of the many victims whose relatives are missing after they were abducted by unknown people.  

He narrates that a week ago, his brother; Robert Jjita was picked by suspected security operatives who were driving in a minibus motor vehicle commonly known as “Toyota Drone” with concealed number plates and has since never returned.

Ssejjengo says that they have searched in various police cells around the area in vain. He suspects that the brother could be detained in the Military barracks at Kassijjagirwa-Masaka.

Moses Kafeero, a resident of Kimwanyi village in Kingo Sub County, currently looking for his cousin brother who went missing on January 18th this year, accuses the army of being behind the on-going abductions in the area.

“One of police Officer advised us to check with the army barracks at Kasijjagirwa after we failed to locate the suspect in police cells. To our disappointment nobody at the army barracks is willing to help or even talk to us every time we have attempted to reach out to them” he says.

According to Kafeero, dozens of soldiers are going around the area abducting people for unknown reasons. 

Jamiruh Nsanja, a mechanic at Naluddugavu Motor Garage in Masaka town claims that the abductors are mainly targeting known opposition political coordinators who are being accused of lawlessness.

He says that the operations have created a lot of fear and many of their colleagues are currently on the run for fear of being abducted. 

Major Flavia Mulindwa Terimulungi, the Spokesperson of UPDF Armoured Brigade Kasijjagirwa-Masaka, confirms that the forces are conducting joint operations aimed at arresting people who were planning chaos in the region concerning the recent presidential elections.

According to Mulindwa, security personnel are conducting intelligence-led arrests which she says are intended to maintain stability in the area.

Terimulungi, however, declined to reveal the number of suspects and remain unspecific on where they are being detained. 

********

URN