The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | URN | Unknown security operatives in a reportedly abducted Andrew Nabimanya, alias NinyeTabz, a known NUP supporter.
NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya confirmed the illegal arrest on Wednesday evening via his X account, formerly Twitter.
According to NUP officials, the anti-corruption whistleblower and photojournalist was picked up Wednesday evening in Kamwokya, a Kampala suburb, by plainclothes operatives travelling in Toyota vans now commonly known drones or panda gari of the 1980’s.
“We’ve just been informed of the abduction of NinyeTabz from Kamwokya a short while ago. He has been whisked away in a drone. The lawlessness continues!” Rubongoya said.
His arrest follows several others that the opposition party and other pro-change groups describe as continued “silent abductions” in the country since the January 14-15 general election.
His arrest comes shortly after the June 15, 2026 home raid and arrest of prominent opposition lawyer Erias Lukwago, who is also President of the People’s Front for Freedom – PFF.
Lukwago, who had spent two days in unknown military detention, was on Wednesday presented at Kira Divisional Police Station in Kira Municipality, Wakiso District, where he recorded a statement, was charged with misprision of treason, and remanded to Luzira Prison.
Leader of the Opposition and Nakawa West MP Joel Ssenyonyi also took to social media to express frustration over the continued targeting of mainly National Unity Platform – NUP supporters.
“The senseless abductions continue, Tabz NinyeTabz has been taken by a drone from Kamwokya!! Ssenyonyi said.
Kamwokya-based Tabz was among the social media whistleblowers in the recent anti-graft probe targeting various government agencies, including Parliament. A probe that led to the seizure of Speaker Anita Among’s vehicles and security searches at her residences in Kampala and upcountry.
Reports of opposition supporters being abducted have continued since the 2021 elections, with cases spiking again in early 2026 ahead of the presidential polls.
NuP alone alleges that more than 3,000 of its members have been arrested and are being held in various detention facilities on political charges tied to the 2026 election.
But security agencies, including the police and army, have consistently denied that NUP supporters are being “abducted” or kidnapped, with officials maintaining that these individuals were arrested lawfully on legitimate criminal and security charges.
