KAMPALA – The Speaker of Parliament has directed the Human Rights Committee to investigate allegations of safe houses on the island of Kalangala that are being used as torture chambers by members of the Internal Security Organisation (ISO).
The directive followed a complaint raised by Kawempe North MP, Latif Sebaggala who alleged that he has received information from some of his voters in the constituency detained in the safe house in Lwamayuba in Kalangala district that ISO is holding a number Ugandans in this area and he suspects that is where most people who have been missing for a long time are being held.
“We have heard complaints from the people we represent over missing persons, people get kidnapped and it takes time without their trace, this is happening nationwide. Over the weekend, I was approached by those who managed to escape and said that so many Ugandans are kept in ungazetted areas,” he said.
Hon Sebagala pointed out ISO among the security organs reported to be taking people to Katabi and later transfers them to Kalangala Island to a place called Lwamayuba.
“It is alleged that Lwamayuba is the new Nalufenya, there are many containers where people are kept and tortured severely. These people told me that over 400 Ugandans are tortured from that Lwamayuba in Namayuba zone in Kalangala Island. People from ISO are the ones responsible for torturing people from that place,” said Sebagala.
He wondered why Ugandans are kept in the ungazatted areas and asked Parliament to come out and investigate the allegations
Ssebagala further alleged that Lwamayuba is being turned into another Nalufenya and there is need to investigate these allegations before Ugandans lose their lives through the inhumane treatment they are undergoing.
This prompted the Speaker to direct the committee to investigate the allegations and report back to Parliament saying;
“We direct the committee on Human Rights of Parliament to proceed to Kalangala to establish whether there is a safe house in Kalangala and give us a report in a fortnight.”
