The Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) has told the High Court in Kampala that it is not holding opposition activist Sam Mugumya, who has been reported missing under unclear circumstances.
In a sworn affidavit filed in the Civil Division of the High Court on Friday, Lieutenant Colonel Edgar Musasizi, the Director of Civil Affairs at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, said an extensive internal search had been carried out but no record of Mugumya's detention was found.
"I do satisfy and return that Sam Mugumya has not at any material time been in the custody of the respondents in this matter," Musasizi stated.
The affidavit was filed in response to a writ of habeas corpus sought by Mugumya's legal team, which had asked court to compel security agencies to produce him.
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Musasizi explained that UPDF investigators combed through all records of detention facilities under the army's control, covering the period between August 26, 2025 to date.
"We have searched all relevant detention facilities' records and found no entry relating to the said Sam Mugumya," he noted, adding that inquiries were also made with officers under the command of both the Chief of Defence Forces and the Directorate of Defence Intelligence and Security.
"I therefore confirm that the said Sam Mugumya is not within our custody and we do not know about his whereabouts," Musasizi told the court.
Mugumya, a longtime aide to opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, has a history of arrests and detentions tied to his political activism. His supporters allege that his latest disappearance occurred under suspicious circumstances, fueling fears that he may have been abducted by security agencies.
A veteran opposition figure, Mugumya has been widely recognized for his outspoken criticism of authoritarianism in Uganda. He previously spent five years in detention in the Democratic Republic of Congo, from 2014 to 2019, on accusations of subversion.
His current disappearance comes at a time of rising political tensions, marked by the arrests of several members of the National Unity Platform (NUP). Opposition parties have consistently accused the government of orchestrating abductions and arbitrary arrests targeting their supporters.
The High Court had earlier directed the Chief of Defence Forces and the Directorate of Defence Intelligence and Security to respond to the application. With the UPDF formally denying custody, the matter now shifts back to Mugumya's legal team.
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The court will review both sides' submissions before making a determination. Depending on the outcome, the applicants may have to provide additional evidence or seek further court orders to trace the activist.
