By Enyichukwu Enemanna
Uganda’s military chief has voluntarily confessed that security forces under his supervision have killed no fewer that 30 opposition supporters since the January 15 disputed elections that returned Yoweri Museveni to power for a seventh term.
Muhoozi Kainerugaba who is also son of 81-year-old President Museveni further said 2000 opposition supporters are currently in detention while more are being hunted.
In a series of social media posts in the early hours of Friday, Kainerugaba gave the first details of the arrests and killings of NUP supporters, branding them “hooligans” and “terrorists.”
“So far we have killed 30 NUP terrorists,” Kainerugaba said on X, without explaining the circumstances of the deaths. “Most NUP terrorist leaders are in hiding. We shall get them all,” he said in another post.
Museveni who has led the East African nation for nearly four decades, was declared to have resoundingly defeated Bobi Wine, leader of the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) party in the election held amid internet shutdown.
Wine, a former musician whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi has since rejected the election result, alleging widespread irregularities including ballot stuffing. He has since gone into hiding, fearing a possible attack from government-backed agents.
Authorities accuse Wine’s supporters of engaging in violence during the election, an allegation the opposition has denied, saying its members were attacked by security forces.
Reacting to the post-election violence in the East African country, the United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres expressed concern over the arrests involving opposition figures and supporters, a spokesperson Stephane Dujarric was quoted as saying late Thursday.
“He (the Secretary General) notes the importance of restraint by all actors and respect for the rule of law and Uganda’s international human rights obligations,” Dujarric said.
Wine has alleged that hundreds of his supporters have been illegally detained in recent months, targeted for their political affiliation and said this was aimed at instilling fear and intimidating his supporters.
Uganda’s opposition parties and rights activists say some of those arrested are held in unofficial detention facilities where they are tortured.
This week, Muwanga Kivumbu, a member of the parliament and Wine’s deputy in the NUP was arrested while two other senior NUP figures have been reported missing for days, indicating an escalation of the clampdown.
