KAMPALA, Uganda — The Ugandan military has officially confirmed that it is holding a Catholic priest who was reported missing nearly two weeks ago. Authorities have accused Father Deusdedit Ssekabira of involvement in “violent subversive activities,” a development that has sparked outrage from the Church and political opposition.
In a concise statement, the military verified that the priest is in “lawful custody” and will soon be arraigned in court to face formal charges.
The Catholic Diocese of Masaka had previously raised the alarm on Saturday, describing a scene where Father Ssekabira was “kidnapped by men in Uganda Army uniform” on December 3.
In a statement, Masaka Bishop Serverus Jjumba described the disappearance as a “grievous wound inflicted on Masaka Diocese, the entire Catholic Church and Father Ssekabira’s family”. He further noted:
“[The diocese] and our lawyers are still doing whatever is in our means to get back our priest unharmed.”
Prior to the military’s confirmation, the national police force had characterized the incident as an “abduction” in social media reports. On Sunday, the police stated:
“We are currently verifying these claims and will provide an update once sufficient information about the Reverend Father is obtained.”
A climate of political tension
This arrest comes as Uganda prepares for a general election next month, a period marked by intensified international scrutiny over human rights abuses, enforced disappearances, and the detention of civilians without trial.
Opposition leader Bobi Wine (Robert Kyagulanyi) condemned the military’s actions, asserting that the armed forces had “no place detaining civilians.”
Bobi Wine, who is challenging President Yoweri Museveni, alleged that the military has frequently been used to abduct his supporters.
“[It is] what Museveni has turned Uganda into,” Wine wrote on X.
History of disappearances
The incident mirrors several high-profile cases involving regional activists and politicians:
- October case: Two Kenyan human rights activists disappeared for five weeks after attending a Bobi Wine event. President Museveni later acknowledged their arrest, labeling them “experts in riots” who had been put “in the fridge for some days.”
- Kizza Besigye: Last year, the veteran opposition figure disappeared from Nairobi, only to reappear in a Ugandan military court four days later. He remains jailed on treason charges.
While Ugandan security agencies have faced long-standing accusations of using plain-clothes officers to detain opposition figures, the military maintains that Father Ssekabira’s detention is part of a lawful security operation.
The Catholic Church has yet to issue a formal response to the specific allegations of subversion leveled against the priest.
