The Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF) has confirmed that Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira of the Masaka Catholic Diocese is in lawful custody, providing clarity after days of uncertainty surrounding his disappearance.
In a press statement dated December 14, 2025, issued by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs through the Department of Defence Public Information, the UPDF said the priest was recently apprehended by security agencies to assist with ongoing criminal investigations linked to alleged violent subversive activities against the state.
According to the statement, intelligence information prompted the arrest, and investigations are still underway. The UPDF emphasized that Rev. Fr. Ssekabira will be produced before a competent court of law and charged accordingly, in full observance of due process.
The statement, signed by Col. Chris Magezi, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, reassured the public that the matter is being handled strictly within the confines of the law. Authorities said further details could not yet be disclosed due to the sensitivity of the investigations.
The confirmation comes few hours after the Masaka Catholic Diocese publicly expressed concern over the priest’s disappearance. In a statement dated December 13, Bishop Severus Jjumba revealed that Rev. Fr. Ssekabira, a curate at Bumagi Parish and Director of Uplift Primary School in Katwe, Masaka City, had been taken on December 3, 2025, by men reportedly dressed in army uniforms.
The uncertainty surrounding his whereabouts had caused deep anxiety within the Church and his family, prompting the diocese to organize special prayers. Bishop Jjumba directed priests and faithful to observe a Rosary Triduum and later extended the call to all parishes and households to pray for the priest, the Church, and the nation.
With the UPDF now confirming that Rev. Fr. Ssekabira is in custody and subject to lawful procedures, the development brings a measure of relief and clarity to the faithful and the wider public.
The UPDF has urged citizens to remain calm and allow security agencies and the courts to carry out their respective mandates, reiterating its commitment to transparency, national security, and the rule of law.
