FDC WOMEN SPOKESPERSON SARA EPERU AND GRANDSON SHAMIR ABDUCTED ON WAY TO ETOP RADIO

Ngora District | 24 October 2020

By Our Political Reporter.

Tension continues to mount in Teso Sub-region after the abduction of Sara Eperu, a senior spokesperson of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) Women’s League, together with her grandson Shamir Brown, a youth counselor from Mukura.

The pair was intercepted on 24 October 2020 while travelling from Mukura to Soroti for a scheduled political talk show on Etop Radio. According to eyewitnesses, an unmarked “drone” van blocked their vehicle, and armed plain-clothed operatives forcibly removed them before speeding off in the direction of Soroti.

Police later issued a statement alleging that Shamir was being investigated for “recruiting young people into homosexuality” and for making “hate speech” against government authorities. In addition, police claim the duo had been receiving foreign aid from Western organizations, noting that they had been “seen in contact with different groups operating in the region.” Authorities argue this foreign support was intended to influence local youths and destabilize political structures.

Human rights organizations and FDC officials strongly dismissed these accusations as baseless and politically motivated, noting that similar claims have been used to justify previous crackdowns on opposition members.  

Local sources say security operatives had recently shown heightened interest in both Sara and Shamir, particularly due to Sara’s long-standing political influence and Shamir’s youth mobilization work in Mukura and Koloin. Their planned appearance on Etop Radio — where they were expected to address political intimidation and community concerns — is believed to have increased pressure on security agencies.

A family member told The Aviator Africa, “Sara had been warned that security operatives were asking about her links with opposition groups and Shamir’s involvement with youth projects. Their abduction was clearly coordinated.”

The disappearance adds to a growing number of cases involving opposition supporters in Ngora District, where several youths have vanished under similar circumstances. Communities fear that allegations of homosexuality, foreign funding, and political mobilization are being used to criminalize dissent.

As of today, the whereabouts of Sara Eperu and Shamir together with Abdul Katumba 25, Muhamudu Kalyango 27, Hamidu SSekidde 30, Sulaiman Male 39, Wilber Kairugara 26, Hamidu Muyodi 29, Issa Makumbi 39, Umar Magala 39, Rahid Sebagala and Salim SSekabembe remain unknown. These youths were abducted between July and October 2020.

Family members, FDC leaders, and human rights advocates continue to demand that security agencies account for them and either release them or produce them before the courts of law. The incident has intensified anxiety across the region as election-related tensions deepen.

Being an FDC supporter in Uganda carries significant risks and negative consequences, including arbitrary arrests, detention, torture, enforced disappearances, and even death, due to the ongoing political tensions and government crackdowns on the opposition. The human rights situation has been a major concern, particularly during campaign periods.