By Andrew Irumba
Kampala: The Special Forces Command (SFC) and Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) have refuted allegations that they kidnapped or abducted Andrew Mukasa aka Bajjo Events, who is Kyadondo East MP Robert Kyagulanyi aka Bobi Wine’s promoter.
Bajjo was abducted by uniformed and plain clothed men on Saturday afternoon at Centenary Park in Kampala, who whisked him away in a white van registration number UAT 511C. The police to date have not issued a statement about Bajjo’s arrest and word has been going around that he was arrested by combined forces of SFC and UPDF. However, the SFC Spokesperson, Major Jimmy Omara and Defense Ministry Spokesperson, Brigadier Richard Karemire have dismissed claims that Bajjo was kidnapped by security operatives under their respective units. “I am not aware,” Brig Karemire simply replied to a phone call from the press. On his part, Maj. Omara took to his twitter handle and dismissed the accusations, describing the claims as malicious. He urged the public to disregard the stories of Bajjo being abducted by SFC. “There is some news making rounds on social media about an alleged arrest of Mr. Andrew Mukasa a music promoter. SFC has not carried out any operation in regard to what is being peddled. This is baseless and malicious. Please ignore it with the utmost contempt it deserves,” Maj Omara tweeted. At the time of his arrest, Bajjo was jointly addressing a press conference with Abbey Musinguzi alias Abitex, the proprietor of Abitex Promotions at Centenary Park, about their planned marathon when the security officers picked him up and led him to a waiting van registration number UAT 511C.
However, controversy arose after journalists observed that the number plate on the vehicle that was used to abduct Bajjo is the same number plate that was on the vehicle the Deputy Inspector General of Police, Maj. Gen. Muzeeyi Sabiiti used when he appeared in parliament in March 2018 for vetting. Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) clarified back then that UAT 511C that was on Sabiiti’s Land Cruiser belonged to a Spacio vehicle in the name of Abdullah Trading Company. This isn’t the first time security operatives an on the spot over kidnapping suspects. Last year, several people were grabbed by plain cloth dressed security operatives and bundled in vehicles with fake number plates. Some of them include Yusuf Kawooya, a member of Uganda Young Democrats (UYD), Dr. Ismail Kalule, Eddy Mutwe, among others.
