The mystery surrounding the disappearance of Amuria District Woman Member of Parliament, Maggie Etilu, has deepened after the Police Force and the Army denied that she was under their detention. The legislator has not been seen in public since she was reportedly picked up by security operatives on May 23 in Nakasero, Kampala, shortly after visiting the residence of former Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among.
Some politicians from Teso, where Etilu hails, on Tuesday, alleged that the new lawmaker was under detention by the Special Forces Command (SFC). Soroti East MP Moses Attan, on Tuesday, said Etilu was being held by the government in a military facility.
“She is with the Government of Uganda, detained by the SFC at Kasenyi,” Attan wrote on his social media platform, Attan-the Gardener 2026-2031. He added that individuals who had reportedly seen the MP informed him that she was in good health and being held in a home-like setting while undergoing interrogation.
According to Attan, members of the Teso Parliamentary Group (TPG) had agreed to pursue behind-the-scenes engagements aimed at securing Etilu’s release. However, the SFC swiftly dismissed the claims.
Responding to inquiries from a URN journalist, SFC spokesperson Maj. Denis Omara said there was no basis for the elite military unit to detain the legislator.
“No, there’s no offence linking her to SFC, and so there’s no reason to incarcerate her. I request that you inquire from the police,” Omara said in a text message. The denial adds to growing uncertainty over Etilu’s whereabouts.
Some senior leaders in Teso who said they were privy to information surrounding the investigations maintained that the MP is in security detention but declined to disclose further details, citing the sensitivity of the matter.
Meanwhile, police say they have yet to establish whether the legislator is under arrest and where she could be detained. Speaking during the weekly police press briefing on Monday, police spokesperson Rusoke Kituuma said he needed time to verify the reports before commenting conclusively.
“I need to know if she’s under arrest, in which police station, and the charges,” Kituuma said when asked about Etilu’s whereabouts. His remarks have done little to ease concerns among political leaders, family members, and residents across the Teso sub-region, where calls for answers have intensified over the past week.
Among the most vocal critics is former Serere District Woman MP Alice Alaso Asianut, who questioned the silence of public institutions and political leaders regarding the disappearance of the newly sworn-in legislator. “I ask with a very heavy heart, where is Hon. Etilu Margaret?” Alaso wrote in a statement shared on social media.
The disappearance has sparked widespread concern among constituents and fellow legislators, with growing calls for security agencies to disclose Etilu’s whereabouts and either release her or produce her before a competent court if she is facing any charges-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
