The government has publicly acknowledged having information about the whereabouts of Amuria District Woman MP Maggie Etilu, nearly three weeks after her reported arrest. Etilu has been missing since May 23.
Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja assured Parliament this morning that the legislator is safe and her family has been informed. She was responding to concerns raised on the floor of Parliament by the leader of the opposition, Joel Ssenyonyi, who demanded that the government account for Etilu’s whereabouts and explain the circumstances under which she was reportedly arrested.
Ssenyonyi said the continued uncertainty surrounding Etilu’s detention was deeply troubling and reflected a broader pattern of enforced disappearances that legislators have repeatedly questioned without receiving satisfactory answers.
He also linked Etilu’s case to other unresolved disappearances, including that of National Unity Platform supporter Christopher Godi, commonly known as King Zare, who was reportedly picked up by security operatives in April and whose whereabouts remain unknown. He further cited the long-running case of John Bosco Kibalama, noting that Parliament has repeatedly sought explanations from government officials without success.
But Nabbanja said Etilu’s relatives are aware of her situation and that the MP is expected to return to Parliament soon. “I was sharing with the Vice President some time back, and even today. The family has been informed, and they know where our sister is, and very soon she will join us here in Parliament,” Nabbanja said.
The Prime Minister added that the Minister of Internal Affairs will present a detailed statement explaining the circumstances surrounding the legislator’s detention.
Vice President Jessica Alupo, who described Etilu as “my daughter,” reinforced the government’s assurances, saying she had personally followed up on the matter with law enforcement and security agencies.
According to Alupo, government officials have engaged both the police and other security agencies regarding Etilu’s situation but deliberately kept the discussions away from public attention. She also acknowledged wider concerns over missing persons and proposed that the Minister for Security present a comprehensive statement to Parliament addressing all outstanding cases raised by legislators.
However, the government’s latest assurances appear to contrast with earlier statements from security agencies. In recent weeks, Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke told journalists that he had no information regarding Etilu’s whereabouts because he had not been briefed on the matter. Similarly, Special Forces Command (SFC) spokesperson Maj. Dennis Omara denied reports that the MP was being held in SFC facilities. The denials followed claims by Soroti City East MP Moses Attan that Etilu was being detained under SFC guard-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
