Edward Ssebufu, chief bodyguard of National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), was brought before Masaka High Court on Monday following a weeks-long disappearance. Ssebufu, widely known as Eddie Mutwe, had reportedly been abducted by security operatives in Mukono District on April 27.
Security personnel barred journalists from approaching Ssebufu or covering his court proceedings, where he faces undisclosed charges. His sudden appearance follows an admission by Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s Chief of Defense Forces (CDF) and son of President Yoweri Museveni, who claimed last week to have detained Ssebufu in his basement. Gen. Muhoozi stated the bodyguard was forced to “salute the president’s portrait daily before breakfast” during his captivity.
Bobi Wine condemned the incident in a social media post, alleging Ssebufu was “badly tortured and in great pain” before being remanded to Masaka Main Prison. He criticized authorities for blocking media access, calling the actions “a blatant abuse of human rights.”
The abduction and detention of Ssebufu occur amid escalating tensions between Uganda’s opposition and security forces. NUP officials have repeatedly accused the government of targeting their members through enforced disappearances and arbitrary arrests. Ssebufu’s case marks the latest flashpoint in a broader pattern of political repression, drawing condemnation from human rights groups.
