MP Allan Ssewanyana Rearrested on New Charges – UPDF

The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has said Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana was rearrested to answer other charges.

Ssewanyana was released on Thursday from detention at Kigo Prison where he and Kawempe South MP Muhammad Ssegirinya had spent more than two weeks in connection to killings in Masaka. Ssewanyana was, however, rearrested upon his release by operatives moving in a vehicle commonly known as Drone.

Now, Defence Spokesperson Brig Flavia Byekwaso has said the Member of Parliament will answer new charges.

“There are other charges that he needs to answer and it is not true that he has been kidnapped. We do not kidnap, what we do is arrest. He was taken to Kireka and he is safe. We would like to assure the public that there is no need for alarm,” said Brig Gen Flavia Byekwaso.

A number of Opposition politicians have condemned Ssewanyana’s rearrest. Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago who is also the legislator’s lawyer said that Ssewanyana’s ‘kidnapping’ renders court’s bail insignificant.

“You cannot tell who arrested him because they were plain-clothed. But we are dealing with a lawless government, anything can happen,” said NUP Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi.

“The state has mastered the art of violating Court orders. Remember the black mamba siege and other incidents of reaaresting people released by court. The state wants to continue holding the legislators,” he said.