Kampala, Uganda: Uganda Law Society (ULS) President Isaac Ssemakadde has called out Security Minister Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Jim Muhwezi and Minister for Gender and Labour, Maj. Gen. (Rtd) Henry Tumukunde to intervene in the case of missing activist Sam Mugumya, questioning what distinguishes his case from their own past experiences in state custody.
In a statement issued on Monday, August 3, Ssemakadde appealed directly to the two ministers, noting that both had previously found themselves in state custody while maintaining their innocence and had dedicated their youth to fighting for principles they believed in.
He contrasted those experiences with that of Mugumya, whom he described as a democracy and human rights campaigner from Rukungiri who has allegedly been missing for 342 days.
“Sam Mugumya is from Rukungiri too. He has been missing for 342 days now. He is a well-known campaigner for democracy and human rights. What is the difference between him and you?” Ssemakadde asked.
The ULS President alleges that Mugumya was abducted on 26 August 2025 by soldiers using a drone and has since suffered mistreatment that has left him in poor health. He further claims that Mugumya has neither been produced before a court nor has the state publicly acknowledged holding him.
The allegations from ULS mirror those made in a habeas corpus application filed before the High Court in Kampala, in which Mugumya’s lawyers said he was arrested by military operatives in Mbarara on August 26, 2025, before disappearing. In September 2025, the High Court issued a writ of habeas corpus directing the government to produce him before a competent court.
However, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) later informed court that Mugumya had never been in its custody and said searches of its detention facilities found no record of him.
DailyExpress has not independently verified these allegations, and no official response from the government or security agencies was included in the statement.
Reference to habeas corpus proceedings
Ssemakadde says the claims are based on last year’s habeas corpus proceedings and on a video reportedly posted by exiled author Kakwenza Rukirabashaija. However, he acknowledges that the source and authenticity of the video could not be independently verified.
Addressing Muhwezi and Tumukunde, the ULS boss argued that their legal training, military backgrounds and personal experiences with detention place them in a unique position to appreciate the importance of due process.
“You have both been held in state custody. So you must be aware of the value of due process and the right to a fair hearing,” Ssemakadde wrote. He urged the two ministers to intervene and help ensure Mugumya either appears before a competent court or regains his freedom.
The Law Society also called for Mugumya to receive immediate medical attention, be formally charged if authorities have evidence against him, or be released if no charges exist.
“Sam Mugumya must receive proper medical attention. He must either be charged or released. And he must be granted access to his mother,” Ssemakadde stated.
A long history of detention
Mugumya is no stranger to prolonged detention.
A former aide to veteran opposition leader Dr Kizza Besigye and longtime political activist, he was arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo in October 2014 on allegations of illegal entry and involvement in rebel activities. He spent eight years in detention before being released in October 2022 and returning to Uganda. Throughout that period, he consistently maintained his innocence.
After his return, Mugumya remained active in opposition politics before his reported disappearance in August 2025.
By the time of publication, neither the Ministry of Security, the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF), nor the Uganda Police Force had publicly responded to the allegations contained in Ssemakadde’s statement.
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