Uncertainty and public concern are mounting following the sudden disappearance of Buyaga West Member of Parliament, Hon. Barnabas Tinkasimire, who was reportedly seized by unidentified individuals on Saturday evening in Kampala.
Eyewitnesses say the legislator was taken at Rubi’s Petrol Station by men traveling in an unmarked Toyota Hiace van colloquially known as a “drone” a vehicle often associated with covert security operations.
The group allegedly forced Tinkasimire into the van before speeding off to an undisclosed location. Since then, his whereabouts remain unknown.
In a development that has further fueled speculation and fear, the police have officially distanced themselves from the arrest.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson, Rusoke Kituuma, confirmed that the police only became aware of the incident when Tinkasimire’s wife filed a missing person report at Wandegeya Police Station.
“Police are not the only agency with authority to carry out arrests in Uganda,” Kituuma said, responding to rising public anxiety over the MP’s disappearance.
“It is not a legal requirement to inform local council leaders before making an arrest,” he added.
Kituuma further explained that a regional inquiry had been launched to trace the legislator but so far, no police station in the Kampala Metropolitan area had any record of Tinkasimire in their custody.
The motive behind the dramatic abduction remains unclear. As of now, no government agency has come forward to claim responsibility, nor has any explanation been provided for the MP’s alleged detention.
The silence surrounding the incident has triggered widespread concern on social media, with opposition leaders and rights activists calling for transparency and accountability in the handling of arrests, particularly involving elected officials.
