By Ben Musanje
The Uganda Police Force has formally distanced itself from the arrest and detention of Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira, a Catholic priest of Masaka Diocese, insisting that the matter is being handled exclusively by the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF).
Fr. Ssekabira, a curate at Bumangi Parish and director of Uplift Primary School, disappeared on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at around 1:00 p.m. after he was taken from his office in Katwe, Masaka City. At the time, the Catholic Church in Masaka reported that the priest had been abducted by armed men dressed in UPDF uniforms who arrived in a vehicle with concealed number plates.
According to accounts from colleagues at the Universal Chastity Education Organization where Fr. Ssekabira also serves as director, the armed men ordered him into their vehicle, blindfolded him, and drove off together with his secretary, who was later released along the roadside in Katwe.
The captors reportedly did not identify themselves or present an arrest warrant, fueling anxiety among church leaders, relatives, and the wider community.
As pressure mounted over the priest’s whereabouts, police clarified their position. Addressing journalists at the police headquarters in Naguru, Police spokesperson ACP Kituuma Rusoke said the arrest of Fr. Ssekabira was not a police operation and that any further information should be sought from the UPDF.
The army before had confirmed holding the priest. In a statement dated December 14, Acting UPDF Director of Defence Public Information Col. Chris Magezi said Fr. Ssekabira was “recently arrested by the security forces for involvement in violent subversive activities against the state” and is being held in lawful custody to assist ongoing investigations.
The UPDF did not specify the nature of the alleged activities or the exact date of arrest but stated that the priest would be produced in court and charged accordingly.
The confirmation came after Masaka Bishop Rt. Rev. Severus Jjumba raised alarm over the priest’s disappearance, describing it as “a grievous wound inflicted on Masaka Diocese, the entire Catholic Church, and Fr. Ssekabira’s family.”
The bishop ordered special prayers and indicated that the Church would pursue legal action after unsuccessful attempts to establish the priest’s whereabouts through security agencies.
Masaka diocesan lawyer Alexander Lule said the Church had instructed lawyers to file an application for habeas corpus, citing constitutional provisions that require an arrested person to be produced before court within 48 hours.
While police said no formal missing-person complaint had been filed, the case has reignited public debate over due process, prolonged detentions, and alleged enforced disappearances, particularly as Uganda heads toward a sensitive election period. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
