Buyaga West Member of Parliament, Barnabas Tinkasimire, seemed more resolute and defiant even after a day under incarceration and the horror of a brutal kidnap allegedly by unknown gunmen on Saturday evening in the city center of Kampala.
Speaking to journalists in Kampala, Hon Barnabas also shared a video clip recorded by a bystander as he was forcibly evicted from his vehicle and bundled into a waiting minibus (drone) before he was taken to an unknown location. He claims that on Saturday at around 6:09PM, he met his fate at Rubi’s filling station along Makerere Hill Road.
“Immediately after throwing me into the drone, I was blindfolded, handicuffed and driven to a desolate location and confined into what seemed like an abandoned kitchen.” He stated that his kidnap was effected by armed personnel who first held the fuel station employees at gunpoint and the traffic blocked for minutes to ensure the operation is smooth.
He narrated torturous incidents as one of his captors slapped him several times asking him why he was planning to stand against Gen. Muhoozi Keinerugaba and why he doesn’t support his bid for presidency. In this location, Tinkasimire says he stayed there a whole day until Sunday night when he was driven in blindfold and dumped in areas of Namungoona, Lubaga Division.
“The vehicle stopped at a hill on a paved road at around 1AM and removed me from the vehicle before a blindfold was also removed from my face. That’s when I looked around and saw a campaign poster of a female aspirant for Lubaga North.” He said that brought him relief knowing that this location was not far from his home.
Frail and at traumatized, Tinkasimire said he grabbed a Boda Boda to Kawempe but abandoned the Boda after knowing that the rider has no phone yet he hoped to use it to call home. He narrated how at Kawempe Market the Boda Boda riders recognized him and one of them took him home.
He said he later met his doctor and recorded the statement at police but also threatened to sue government for violating his rights as a citizen.
“What I can’t tolerate is anyone to silence me. If I committed any offense, I should have been taken through the legal process. I don’t think I can stop talking. I have said it before and I say it again; This country is for Ugandans, for our children and those who will come after us. Those who have power should use it to develop our people but not for intimidating us” Tinkasimire said.
In response to claims that his kidnap is a stunt to attract public sympathy, Tinkasimire challenged the authorities to extract the CCTV footage from Police cameras and prove him wrong. He also challenged the journalists and critics to study the video clip showing his kidnap and draw fair conclusions because there is incriminating evidence to support his claims. He insists his lawyers have enough evidence to sue government for trampling on his rights.
“As for the threats that they will come back for me, I have no objection. But if I get the opportunity to meet Muhoozi, I will tell him to speak about issues that develop our country not what he usually says” he stated.
Editors note: The story of Hon Barnabas Tinkasimire mirrors other incidents of kidnaps, abductions and torture which have become common in Uganda. The incidents of Ugandans including both opposition supporters and people in government being arrested by armed security operatives and kept incommunicado have become a matter of serious concern especially from the human rights perspective.
