Baba TV journalist and cameraman Eria Jengo is still missing 11 days after he was reportedly picked up by unknown people outside his workplace in Ntinda, Kampala. Eria, who mainly covered security-related stories, particularly activities involving the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), disappeared on September 10 after stepping out of the Baba TV offices at around midday to buy food.
Eyewitnesses told the station that Eria was approached and bundled into a Toyota Noah by three people—two men and a woman—all dressed in plain clothes. The vehicle reportedly sped towards Kisaasi Road. The group was allegedly travelling in two vehicles, a Toyota Noah and a Toyota Premio.
Allen Nalusiba, the station manager at Baba TV, told Uganda Radio Network (URN) that the station has not received any information about Eria’s whereabouts since his disappearance. “We don’t have any update about his whereabouts, not even from security agencies. Even the family has not received any information or any call about Jengo since the case of disappearance was reported. That is what I can tell you at the moment,” Nalusiba said.
The disappearance was reported at Old Kira Road Police Station on September 12 under file reference 61/11/09/026. However, police are yet to establish who took Eria or where he is being held. Nalusiba said the station could not obtain CCTV footage from its premises because of a power outage at the time of the incident. He has appealed to police to review footage from the National CCTV Camera grid around Ntinda in an attempt to trace the two vehicles reportedly used during the incident.
Eria’s continued disappearance has heightened anxiety among his family, colleagues and members of the media fraternity. His family said last week that his elderly mother suffered a stroke after learning about his disappearance and remains hospitalised. Victoria Nalubega, Eria’s sister, said the missing journalist is the family’s sole breadwinner and appealed to whoever may be holding him to disclose his alleged offence and whereabouts.
The Uganda Journalists Association has also called on security agencies to provide information about Eria. Emmanuel Kirunda, the association’s Secretary General, said the government has a responsibility to protect citizens and to establish the whereabouts of people who disappear.
“We are working with his station management, and we have searched the police and the army the whole of last week, and no one is willing to say anything about Jengo’s whereabouts. We call upon the security agencies to come out clean and tell us whether they are doing anything to search for him, and tell us the progress,” Kirunda said.
Kirunda said the association was considering petitioning the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), arguing that the Commission has a role to play in cases involving alleged unlawful detention or disappearance.
Anthony Asiimwe, Vice President of the Uganda Law Society, however, said a petition for habeas corpus would require clearer information linking security agencies to Eria’s disappearance. Asiimwe explained that such an application would ordinarily require evidence indicating that security agencies were responsible for the arrest or detention, such as the use of uniforms, firearms or government vehicles.
“Applying for Habeas Corpus requires you to have a clear picture of whether it was indeed security agencies that were involved in the arrest, for example, if they were in uniform, armed, or using a government vehicle, because they have that connection. Then you can apply for unconditional release,” Asiimwe said.
Eria’s disappearance comes amid concerns over cases in which people are reportedly picked up by unidentified operatives and later presented before courts on various charges, while others remain untraced for extended periods. Police had not, by the time of publication, publicly provided details on the progress of investigations into Eria’s disappearance.I would recommend keeping the final paragraph cautious because the claim about a “growing list” and alleged involvement of security personnel is contentious and should be supported with specific documented cases if retained in a published story-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
