The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has said Makindye West MP Allan Ssewanyana was rearrested because he has other charges to answer.
Ssewanyana was arrested on Thursday by armed men moving in a minibus popularly known as drone following his release from detention at Kigo Prison where and Kawempe South MP Muhammad Ssegirinya have spent more than two weeks.
But Defence and army spokesperson Brig Flavia Byekwaso said the legislator is facing new charges. The legislator has been on remand in connection with the killings in Masaka.
“There are other charges that he needs to answer and it is not true he has been kidnapped. No one can do that to an MP, the best we do is rearrest. He has been taken to Kireka and he is safe. We would like to assure the public that there is no need for alarm,” Brig Byekwaso said.
Joel Ssenyonyi, the NUP spokesperson, condemned Ssewanyana’s re-arrested.
“The state has mastered the art of violating court orders. Remember the black mamba siege and several other incidents of rearresting people released by the court. So the state wants to continue holding the legislators,” he said.
“You cannot tell who arrested him because they were plain-clothed. But we are dealing with a lawless government. Anything can happen,” Ssenyonyi added.
Erias Lukwago, Ssewanyana’s lawyer said that Ssewanyana’s kidnap renders the court directive that he should be released on bail insignificant.
