After weeks of silence and fear, Kasim Ssebudde—better known by his alias Kunta Kinte—has been found.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) supporter was dumped near his home in Mukono Municipality on Thursday evening by unknown individuals in a manner eerily similar to his disappearance: quiet, swift, and brutal.
His reappearance, though a relief, came with visible evidence of torture. Frail and shaken, Ssebudde appeared before the media on Friday with fresh scars across his body.
His words were clear: “They tortured me, but I am still here. I am not afraid.”
Ssebudde was reportedly abducted on April 27 alongside Eddie Mutwe, chief bodyguard to NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi, and another party member, Kyagulanyi Najabi. The three were initially detained together before being separated and transported to undisclosed locations.
“I was beaten, questioned—tortured without any charge,” Ssebudde recounted.
His detention came shortly before Eddie Mutwe was produced in Masaka High Court, facing multiple charges including robbery and assault.
Mutwe appeared frail, needing assistance from security personnel to enter the courtroom—an image that shocked many across the nation.
Like many before him, Ssebudde says he was taken by armed operatives in an unmarked van—commonly referred to as a “drone.”
These vehicles have become symbols of forced disappearances in Uganda, often linked to abductions of opposition figures.
Human rights organisations have long raised alarm over such practices, which continue with near impunity. The state, meanwhile, has remained largely silent or evasive on the existence and use of drone operations.
Speaking during Ssebudde’s emotional return, NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi described the ordeal as part of a growing pattern of political repression ahead of the 2026 elections.
“These are not signs of strength; they are signs of fear,” he said. “They know the people are watching. That’s why they are panicking.”
Kyagulanyi urged supporters to remain firm. “This time it is a protest vote. We shall not give up.”
While Ssebudde’s return has brought some clarity, concern is mounting over yet another missing NUP affiliate—Noah Mutwe.
Like the others, his whereabouts remain unknown, deepening public anxiety and fueling unrest in opposition strongholds.
Ssebudde’s testimony adds to a growing archive of alleged abuses targeting opposition members. The government has yet to provide a transparent explanation for the abductions or the conditions of detention.
As Uganda inches toward the 2026 general elections, the NUP says it expects more intimidation but vows not to be silenced.
For Kasim Ssebudde, the message is simple: survival is resistance.
