Uganda army release journalist’s ‘abducted’ brother
A Ugandan journalist now says President Yoweri Museveni’s government has released her brother who had spent about a week in custody.
She has however not provided an update on her cousin and family friend who were reportedly abducted alongside her brother
In a message posted on her Twitter page, Remmy Bahati also thanked everyone who helped her call out the Ugandan army whom she accused of carrying out the abduction.
I would like to thank you all rights organizations, the media, politicians & friends on social media who have joined me to fight for my brother’s freedom. I have got news that the Ugandan government has released my beloved brother, but my cousin remains under illegal detention.
— Remmy Bahati (@BahatiRemmy) October 8, 2022
Ms Bahati who’s based in the US claimed on October 1, 2022, her brother, cousin, and a family friend had been abducted by the army who’d broken into her home in Fort Portal town and also harassed her aging dad.
Just In: Armed plain clothed men driving a drone with no plates have stormed my 76yr old father’s house in Fort Portal City searching for ‘guns’. They didn’t find any & abducted my brother, cousin and his friend who was visiting. Their whereabouts are unknown. Help me find them😭 pic.twitter.com/5RET7S3CH1
— Remmy Bahati (@BahatiRemmy) October 1, 2022
She has consistently called for the army to release her relatives and at some point got involved in an exchange of words with the army spokesperson.
😭😭 UPDF don’t play games with me. I need to know where my brother is. Period! The unlawful detentions, torture and abductions must stop. pic.twitter.com/a6TG7OKn0I
— Remmy Bahati (@BahatiRemmy) October 2, 2022
In an interview with NTV, Ms Bahati said she believes the abduction was a result of an article she’d penned criticizing the Ugandan government that later drew the attention of US President Joe Biden.
“When I did that interview, I was told by the government to delete it off my social media platforms before it went viral and I knew that was a decision for me to make and I did not do that,” she said.
The scribe has also wondered if there’s much to celebrate on Uganda’s 60th birthday this weekend.
Is it a happy Independence day? Our freedom is being challenged. Some think that self rule is to do whatever you want without responsibility. We need to turn back to accountability, responsibility & respecting others. We must speak up & challenge those that degrade our country! pic.twitter.com/3jfqc2a968
— Remmy Bahati (@BahatiRemmy) October 9, 2022
President Museveni’s government has attracted continuous scrutiny for its human rights record, and especially in relation to the harassment and assault on journalists, plus reports of consistent abductions of people considered to have a different opinion of the State.
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