By KT Reporter
Just five days before the elections for L.C.III sub-county chairpersons, fear and uncertainty have gripped Luuka district. Salimu Isabirye, the National Unity Platform (NUP) L.C.III sub-county flag bearer for Bukanga, has gone missing.
His whereabouts remain unknown. The last confirmed sighting of Isabirye was on Thursday, 29th January 2025, in Namukubembe village, Bukanga sub-county.
What followed, according to eyewitnesses, was alarming. Rodgers Kaitandovu, NUP district chairperson, says he witnessed the incident.
He was riding Isabirye on his motorcycle when a suspicious grey salon car without a number plate began to trail them.
“The driver applied defensive driving skills to cut us off at a narrow junction,” Kaitandovu says. “A man dressed in black emerged, armed with what I suspect was an AK-47, and demanded Isabirye enter their car. Three other gunmen joined him and put us at gunpoint before grabbing Isabirye.”
The vehicle sped off towards Iganga, leaving Kaitandovu and others shaken. Attempts to locate Isabirye at police stations across the Busoga sub-region yielded no information.
This abduction, if confirmed, is not an isolated incident. According to Kaitandovu, a number of NUP supporters have been arrested or gone missing in the past two weeks.
On 13th January 2026, security forces reportedly raided a campaign camp, detaining over 80 polling agents of presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, while more than 100 others went into hiding.
Since the January 15th presidential and parliamentary elections, Kaitandovu claims supporters have been “abducted” almost daily, with no clarity on charges or whereabouts. Kaitandovu paints a worrying picture:
“I no longer have answers to give to parents and spouses of these young men. Some are missing without a trace.”
He is now calling on human rights organizations to investigate what he describes as targeted arrests designed to instill fear among largely youthful NUP supporters.
Meanwhile, police in the Busoga North region confirm that the matter is under investigation. But spokesperson Samson Lubega declined to provide details, leaving unanswered questions hanging in the air.
As the election nears, Luuka district faces a chilling question: Can citizens freely participate in local elections when fear stalks the streets and candidates disappear? This is not just a story of a missing flag bearer. It’s a story of human rights, political intimidation, and accountability, and the answers are yet to come.
-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
