Mpuuga Expresses Disgust Over Rev. Fr. Ssekabira’s Kidnap

The Democratic Front (DF) President, Mathias Mpuuga, together with the Masaka City DF leadership, has asked the security forces to explain circumstances under which they kidnapped Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira of Masaka Diocese.

Mpuuga expressed deep disgust at the abduction and said the country deserves clarity and respect for the rule of law.

Father Ssekabira was reportedly taken by men in Uganda Army uniforms traveling in a drone vehicle on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, from his office at Katwe in Masaka City, where he serves as Director of Uplift Primary School. Since then, he has been incommunicado.

Fr. Ssekabira is a priest of Masaka Diocese and a curate at Bumangi Parish, widely known for his service to the community and the Church.

Addressing residents of Zaire village in Ssenyange zone together with Masaka City Woman MP Juliet Nakabuye Kakande, aspiring Masaka City Major Michael Mulindwa Nakumusana, among others on December 14, 2025, Mpuuga warned that kidnappings are barbaric acts that should not be practiced by any regime. He said such actions damage trust and disturbs public peace.

He stressed that if Rev. Fr. Ssekabira had a case to answer, the security agencies should have gone through the Masaka Diocese Bishop Severus Jjumba and followed lawful processes, rather than seizing a man of God and keeping him out of contact.

Mpuuga has worked since 2021 to defend the rights of people who were disappeared during that period, and he has cautioned government officials against targeting clergy, especially in Masaka because the community reacts strongly to provocations of this kind.

This disappearance comes as the nation prepares for the 2026 election, five years after the 2021 polls, when many Ugandans were kidnapped and some remain missing. The memory of those events is still fresh and painful.

Mpuuga said Uganda is not ready for another wave of kidnappings, calling such acts outdated and barbaric. He affirmed that DF will not tolerate intimidation and urged calm, transparency, and lawful conduct from all institutions.