A Ugandan youth being looked for by security agents for being a NUP supporter

By Our Reporter.

It is a known and frequently reported issue that NUP supporters in Uganda face significant risk of arrest, detention, and other forms of repression by state security agents, especially during political campaigns.

There have been numerous recent incidents for example; 11 NUP supporters are battling terrorism charges at the High Court and on the charge sheet of  February 20, 2024, and these include; Abdul Katumba 25, Abdallah Katumba 30, Muhamudu Kalyango, Hamidu SSekidde 30, Sulaiman Male 39, Wilber Kairugara 26, Hamidu Muyodi 29, Issa Makumbi 39, Umar Magala 39, Rahid Sebagala and Salim SSekabembe. These were arrested from Wakiso district and Kampala City last month.

According to police report 18/11/2020, a total of 28 people have died and 577 arrested following the violent political and criminal demonstration in multiple areas, and all these people are NUP supporters.

The National Unity Platform (NUP), led by Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu (Bobi Wine), is the main opposition political party in Uganda.

Being a young, urban-centric movement with strong support among youth, NUP members are often targets of security operations.
 
Likely outcomes of being a NUP supporter in Uganda;
Security Crackdowns: NUP rallies often involve heavy security deployment, the use of tear gas, and live bullets to disperse crowds. A NUP supporter was recently shot and killed during a rally in Iganga in 2020.

“Missing” Persons: Human rights organizations and the NUP have reported cases of supporters being forcibly disappeared and held in unauthorized detention facilities. The NUP submitted a list of missing persons to the Uganda Human Rights Commission (UHRC), which is still investigating the cases.

Official Justification: Ugandan authorities often justify arrests by accusing NUP supporters of public disorder, illegal assemblies, or being involved in criminal activities like “terrorism” or treason.

International Concern: The European Parliament and human rights advocates have raised concerns about the violence and human rights violations targeting the opposition in Uganda.

The dusty roads of Kamwokya never slept, but for a 31-year-old Kalyesubula Amos and his wife Victoria Nambasa, they felt quieter now.

Amos is a waiter at Entebbe Imperial Beach Hotel; he had started a stationery shop in 2023 along Kamwokya Street for his wife to work in it in order to increase on their income.

Amos being a NUP supporter, he got a deal to supply stationery and other printable materials such as T-shirts, capes, barrettes, posters among others to NUP.  Amos being known by many NUP supporters, he started getting many orders for printing as they were preparing for 2026 campaigns which are around the corner.

Amos together with his wife believes in People Power, in a Uganda where a young person could speak their mind without looking over their shoulder.
On 15th March 2024 Amos had not gone to Entebbe for work, he wanted to help his wife finish up the order for T-shirts and barrettes. But the crackdown that followed wasn’t localized. It swept through every known NUP hub. His friend, Mutebi, disappeared first, taken from a local cafe by men in dark, unmarked vehicles. The fear in the community was palpable.

The following day, a neighbor whispered a warning to Amos’s mother, Mrs Robinah Nassali, “They asked about your boy, Specific questions about his work with the posters.” The next evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in shades of orange and violet, the headlights cut through the twilight. Amos was sharing a plate of Rolex with his wife near the roadside stall when the Land Cruiser screeched to a halt. Men in plain clothes and military boots spilled out, moving with practiced, chilling efficiency.
“Amos Kalyesubula!” one barked, his voice sharp like broken glass.

Amos froze, the flatbread slipping from his hand. He looked into the eyes of the man and saw no justice, only instruction. He bolted, diving into the maze of iron-sheet shacks and narrow alleyways that he knew better than his own name.

The familiar shouts of “Stop him!” and the heavy thud of boots on dirt echoed behind him. He heard a sharp whistle, the crack of a baton hitting metal, and then the sound that made his blood run cold, a single, sharp gunshot into the air. He was eventually arrested, beaten so much and taken to Kira police station.

A group of NUP lawyers came to his rescue after five days in police cells; he was given a police bond and supposed to be reporting every week at police. While in police cells, every morning and evening people in police uniform and casual wares could ask him who is sending him to fight the government, and this followed by beatings and pouring water on him, Victoria explains.

That morning after getting police bond, bruised and covered in grime, Amos crept back towards his mother’s home in Kasubi, keeping to the shadows. His mother’s small house was empty. The door was slightly open. Inside, everything was intact.

A crumpled note lay on the small table, written in his mother’s shaky hand: Go to Pastor Elias’s cousin in Jinja. Don’t look back. They know your name now. The NUP lawyers have the details. Be safe, my son.

Amos crumpled the paper, the reality of his new life setting in. He was no longer just a graphic designer from Kamwokya and a waiter in a hotel, but a fugitive in his own country, an ‘enemy of the state’ whose only crime was printing the promise of hope.

But before he could do anything, the too much beating while in police cell, Amos had to go for medical check-up because his condition was not good at all. The Medical Report from Ndejje Health Centre IV shows that his body had a lot of bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations and rope marks, open wounds in various stages of healing.

He turned and walked away from the only home he had ever known, leaving his wife and mother he loves so much, disappearing into the morning crowd, just another Ugandan youth on the run. The red barrette pin, usually proudly displayed on his backpack, was now hidden deep in his pocket, a silent, dangerous testament to his belief.

Amos now had to look for a way of living his own country to seek asylum in a peaceful and democratic country.

Fortunately, in May, 2024 Amos got a link on Facebook, International Education Exchange Incorporation, which he used to apply for a United States of America visa. He applied to go to USA to attend a practical training in hospitality and tourism program which will take place on 10th September, 2024.

Being a National Unity Platform (NUP) 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.

Given the sensitivity and potential danger, opposition supporters should prioritize their personal safety and consider seeking protection from peaceful and democratic countries.