The family of missing Baba Television journalist Eria Jengo has petitioned the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), seeking support in establishing his whereabouts. Jengo, 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 Jengo was accosted and bundled into a Toyota Noah by people two men and a woman all dressed in plain clothes. The vehicle reportedly sped towards Kisaasi Road.
The group was reportedly using two vehicles, a Toyota Noah and a Toyota Premio. The disappearance was reported at Old Kira Road Police Station on September 12 under file reference 61/11/09/026.
Police are yet to establish or communicate to the family and his workplace who took Eria or where he is being held. On Wednesday, together with the Uganda Journalists Association (UJA), the family and the television station lodged a petition at the UHRC head offices located at JEROS House in Naguru.
Speaking to journalists shortly after handing over the petition, Teddy Catherine, the partner of the missing journalist who is also an employee at the same station, broke down in tears saying everyone from the village, friends and colleagues keeps calling her asking for information, yet she has none. She narrated that on the fateful day, he left home early at 6:00 a.m, saying he had a busy schedule and did not call her the entire day, which was unusual.
She said they usually leave the workplace together, but when she checked the newsroom in the evening, she was told that Eria moved outside in morning without communicating where he was going and left his phones behind and never returned.
“I waited until 11 pm, then checked the last communication on the phone he left behind and called the last person he spoke to, who told me they had a small personal conversation in the morning.” she said. “I left the office alone hoping he would return home. Throughout the night I kept checking the time until morning, but he was nowhere to be seen. I went to office and and we made the decision that we should go the to police to report the matter.”
She expressed frustration with police, saying they have not helped them despite their request to check security cameras along the road to identify the said vehicles and tracking the communications people he was speaking to, before his abducation.
She says she is also worried about her own safety, fearing that the people who abducted her boyfriend could come after her as well.
Catherine Nalubanjwa, the elderly mother of the journalist, said when she received news of her son’s disappearance, her blood pressure shot up and she was hospitalized in Nakaseke until she stabilized and had to come to Kampala to search for him.
“My situation as a parent is not good at all,” Nalubanjwa said. “I request this government to bring back my son, wherever he is. I am on my knees appealing to security and the human rights commission to look for my son and bring him back, whether alive or dead.”
Saka Coperiano, uncle of the missing journalist, said since the incident occurred, they have been in frustration, moving from office to office seeking help. He appealed to security to produce him alive or dead so he can have a decent burial if dead.
Docus Musimenta, the Principal Human Rights Officer who heads the Directorate of Complaints, Investigations and Legal Services at UHRC, who received the petition, said the commission will sit as a team to analyze the petition and carry out investigations before responding to the petitioners.
Jengo’s disappearance comes amid growing concern over cases in which people are reportedly picked up by unidentified operatives and later produced in courts on various charges, while others remain untraced for extended periods. By press time, police had not yet publicly provided details on progress of investigations into Eria’s disappearance-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
