The human rights committee of parliament has been tasked to investigate claims that there are Ugandans detained incommunicado in several illegal detention facilities across the country.
The development comes after legislators raised the issue of ‘new torture chambers’ where government allegedly detains and torture its opponents.
During a parliamentary session today afternoon, Hon. Latif Ssebagala Member of Parliament for Kawempe North claimed that several Ugandans have been arrested in areas of Kattabi Entebbe, loaded on canoes and then ferried to ‘safe houses’ in Rwamayuba, on Kalangala Islands where they are illegally detained and tortured.
Hon Kassiano Wadri the Member of Parliament for Arua Municipality also alleged that another safe house exists in Kyengera, Wakiso District.
He noted that two people from his constituency including a one Jamilla Asha Atim, and a record clerk for Arua Regional Hospital were recently abducted by unknown people and later found to be detained in an ungazetted detention facility in Kyengera.
The claims prompted the speaker of parliament Rt. Hon. Rebecca Kadaga to direct the Human Rights Committee to investigate the claims and present the findings to the house.
The Speaker also directed the Minister of Security to present a statement to the house next week concerning the matter.
The Deputy Attorney General Hon. Mwesigwa Rukutana denied claims of existence of illegal detention centers in the country.