Government has received a list of people alleged to be held incommunicado and has started following up on their whereabouts, Government Chief Whip Jane Ruth Aceng has said.
Aceng told Parliament on Tuesday that the list, submitted by the Leader of the Opposition following a request from the Ministry of Internal Affairs, had been forwarded to the ministry for verification and action.
Her statement followed concerns raised by Jinja South Division East MP Paul Mwiru over the alleged detention of Baba TV journalist Eria Jjengo and other people who, he said, had been held without being produced before court.
“Security forces picked Eria Jjengo, an employee of Baba TV, from their workplace. They have held him incommunicado up to date. He has not been produced in the courts of law,” Mr Mwiru said.
Jjengo’s disappearance had earlier been reported to Kira Road Police Station, while the Uganda Journalists Association and Baba TV called for investigations into his whereabouts.
Mwiru said Jjengo was among several people whose cases had been raised in Parliament, urging Speaker Jacob Marksons Oboth to engage the government on what he described as the continued detention of people without being produced before court.
Aceng said the government had already begun following up on names previously submitted by the Opposition.
“Shortly before we broke off for recess, the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Internal Affairs, had written to the Leader of Opposition, requesting for the names of the people that you have been raising here, that they are being held incommunicado,” she said.
She said the Leader of the Opposition responded with the names, which she subsequently forwarded to the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
“I submitted those names to Ministry of Internal Affairs, and they are preparing to come and respond. So in addition to the one that you have raised today, I will also submit those names,” Aceng said.
Second Deputy Prime Minister and Deputy Leader of Government Business Crispus Kiyonga said the government would work with Mwiru to establish the facts surrounding the allegations.
“I welcome his invitation that we should get together, get details, and take appropriate action,” Dr Kiyonga said.
Speaker Oboth welcomed the government’s response, saying the engagement demonstrated the cooperation expected between Parliament and the Executive in addressing concerns raised by legislators.
“That is the government we all want,” Oboth said.
