The family of Dr. Lawrence Muganga, the Vice Chancellor, Victoria University arrested by security Thursday morning has spoken out.
Dr. Muganga was picked up by men in plain clothes from his office at the University campus along Jinja Road in Kampala, and driven off in an omnibus registration number UAL 748K, to an unknown destination.
“Social media reports that Vice Chancellor Victoria University Dr. Lawrence Muganga was kidnapped are false. He was arrested by joint Security Forces in connection with espionage and illegal stay in the country. Investigations into the matter have commenced,” army spokesperson, Brig. Flavia Byekwaso confirmed Dr. Muganga’s arrest Thursday evening.
But the family says the manner in which Dr. Muganga was arrested was inhumane and humiliating.
“On the 2nd September 2021 at around 10:00 O’clock, Dr. Muganga Lawrence, the Vice Chancellor at VictoriaUniversity while at his office at the University was kidnapped by heavily armed plain-clothed men hiding faces in masks and dark glasses. According to eyewitnesses, the kidnappers came to the University masquerading as students seeking admission so the security allowed them access after they registered themselves in the visitors book (on a page they later tore as they were leaving). One of the gunmen, who had left his identity card at the reception, as they exited, forcefully demanded for it, putting the receptionist at gunpoint. Upon entering the building, the kidnappers went straight to the VC’s office who they met standing in the corridor outside his office talking to his personal assistant. one of the kidnappers shouted “Yono gwetwagala” meaning “this is the one we want” upon which another kidnapper approached him (Dr) and shouted to him loudly and rudely ‘we want to talk to you”, Dr. Muganga replied “can i talk to you in my office please?” and the kidnapper replied “we don’t have time to sit down in your office, let’s go now”. In no time, many other kidnappers poured in, all aiming their guns at Dr. and his bodyguard (a female uniformed police officer called Barbra Nagudi attached to Counter Terrorism CT). She attempted to intervene to protect her principal. She was also assaulted and her clothes torn into pieces and handcuffed. Dr. Muganga was subdued, handcuffed and forcefully dragged down the stairs alongside his bodyguard up to the ground floor, roughly pushed into a waiting van Reg. No. UAL 748K which sped off at a terrible speed to an unknown destination. As a family, we are gravely disturbed by these events and we want the government to come out clearly and honestly explain why Dr. Muganga was arrested in such a humiliating manner in front of his staff, students and the public, and for what crime. Why the security/kidnappers could not respectfully summon Dr. to report himself wherever they needed him to report,” Dr. Muganga’s family speaking through their lawyers of Elgon Associated Advocates said Friday.
Allegations
According to Brig. Byekwaso, Dr. Muganga was arrested over espionage and illegal stay in Uganda.
Dr. Muganga’s family says this is untrue.
“This is not true. How does a Ugandan overstay in his own country? Dr. Muganga holds Ugandan National ID and Canadian citizenship. Dr. Muganga was born in Uganda. His mother still lives, and in Uganda,” the family says.
Demands
The family demands that they be given access to Dr. Muganga.
“The family demands that Dr. Muganga is treated humanely and that his family and lawyers are given access to him. We do have faith in this government and considering that President Yoweri Museveni recently stopped security operatives from ruthless arrests. We did not imagine that our family member could be treated this way. We do appeal to the government to release Dr. Muganga without physical or emotional torture. Alternatively, produce him in court,” part of the statement reads.