NUP Canada Chapter stage protest over rampant abductions of opposition leaders

Toronto, (CA):- Members of the Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) Canada Chapter took to the streets of Toronto on Wednesday, February 19, protesting the increasing abductions and illegal detentions of opposition leaders and supporters in Uganda.

The protestors condemned the Ugandan government’s crackdown on political dissent and demanded the immediate release of detained opposition figures, including Dr. Kizza Besigye, Hajji Obed, and several others.

The protest follows the recent disappearance of Fred Nyanzi, NUP’s Head of Mobilization and brother to party President Robert Kyagulanyi, also known as Bobi Wine.

Nyanzi was reportedly abducted on February 17, 2025, near Kubiri traffic lights in Bwaise, Kampala, just two days after opposition members issued a 48-hour ultimatum for the release of Dr. Kizza Besigye.

Witnesses claimed Nyanzi was taken by heavily armed men in plain sight, yet Ugandan security agencies, including the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), have denied any knowledge of his whereabouts.

Nyanzi’s abduction is part of a worrying trend of enforced disappearances targeting opposition leaders in Uganda. In November 2024, Dr. Kizza Besigye was reportedly abducted from Nairobi, Kenya, and later presented before a military court in Uganda on charges of illegal possession of firearms. The Kenyan government denied any involvement, labeling the incident an “abduction,” while international human rights groups decried the act as a violation of international law.

“These abductions are meant to silence opposition voices,” said one protester in Toronto. “We are here to call on the international community, particularly the Canadian government, to take action against these injustices.”

The demonstrators urged the Canadian government and international community to take a firm stance against these injustices and support efforts to restore democracy and the rule of law in Uganda.

Human rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, have repeatedly called on the Ugandan government to stop unlawful detentions and to hold security forces accountable for enforced disappearances and torture of opposition supporters.

As concerns grow over Nyanzi’s fate, the NUP Canada Chapter is urging international bodies to intervene and pressure the Ugandan government to release all political prisoners. The group insists that continued silence from the global community will only embolden security agencies to carry out further violations against political dissidents.