By Enyichukwu Enemanna
The Ugandan military has confirmed that it arrested and took into custody, a Catholic priest who has been missing for nearly two weeks ago, accusing him of involvement in “violent subversive activities”.
The military in brief statement on Sunday said Father Deusdedit Ssekabira had been arrested and was in “lawful custody”, ready to be charged to court.
The Catholic Diocese in the city of Masaka had on Saturday raised alarm over Father Ssekabira’s disappearance, saying he was “kidnapped by men in Uganda Army uniform”.
In a statement, Masaka Bishop Serverus Jjumba said the priest was taken on 3 December and that his disappearence was a “grievous wound inflicted on Masaka Diocese, the entire Catholic Church and Father Ssekabira’s family”.
“The diocese and our lawyers are still doing whatever is in our means to get back our priest unharmed,” he wrote.
Hours before the military on Sunday confirmed they had detained Father Ssekabira, the national police force said they had noted social media reports of the priest’s “abduction”.
“We are currently verifying these claims and will provide an update once sufficient information about the Reverend Father is obtained,” the police in a message, posted on social media platform X, said.
Tension has grown in the East African country ahead of the January presidential election with opposition alleging clampdown on government critics and prolonged detention without trial.
In response to the military’s statement on the priest, opposition leader Bobi Wine said the armed forces had “no place detaining civilians”.
The pop star-turned-politician, who will face long-term leader, President Yoweri Museveni in the election, alleged that many of his supporters had been abducted by the military.
“[It is] what Museveni has turned Uganda into,” Wine, whose real name is Robert Kyagulanyi, wrote on X.
