Novelist-activist Kakwenza Rukirabashaija has been “kidnapped” at Kitalya prison

“He was kidnapped by the same people who released him and now he has been taken to an undisclosed location,” says Kiiza.

According to eyewitnesses, Kakwenza was grabbed and then whisked away in a tinted double-cabin pickup almost as soon as he was granted bail.

Kampala Capital City Authority Deputy Lord Mayor Doreen Nyanjura confirmed this version of events.

“A double cabin tinted, numberless car has kidnapped Kakwenza Rukirabashaija from Kityala Prison!” she said.

“Comrade Kakwenza has been kidnapped from Kitalya Prison and taken in a Double Cabin Pick Up with covered number plates.”

It was revealed earlier by Nyanjura that Kakwenza’s bail would not be as smooth sailing as hoped in light of the fact that he had failed to deposit his passport with the court, which was part of the conditions for his bail.

Kakwenza had told the court that his passport was at his residence in Iganga, so he had to go and get it.

“The chief magistrate says he can’t sign the release order unless Kakwenza’s passport is deposited in court since that was one of the key bail conditions. Kakwenza’s wife has to rush to Iganga, hopefully she finds the passport, hopefully she gets back and finds the magistrate,” Nyanjura reported earlier.

Previously, Buganda Road Chief Magistrate, Dr. Douglas Singiza, had granted bail to Kakwenza.

“The accused person has presented credible sureties, some of whom are lawyers while others are political leaders of one of the political parties. Given the circumstances of this case, it is my considered view that it is not even necessary to consider expensive bail conditions in monetary terms. I therefore release the accused person on bail,” said in his ruling.

Accordingly, he ruled that Kakwenza pay shs500,000 in cash as bond and each of his sureties pay Shs 10million as a non-cash as bond.

Kakwenza was also directed by the judge to deposit his passport with the court for a period of six months as the hearing proceeds, adding that this ruling may be reviewed.

On December 28 last year, Kakwenza was arrested at his Kisaasi home for allegedly “disturbing the peace” of President Museveni and the Commander of Land Forces, Lt Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, through his twitter account.

The Leader of Opposition in Uganda’s parliament, Mathias Mpuuga, said he had visited Kakwenza when the novelist-activist was in jail and realised that he was tortured badly.

“His fingernails have patches of blood caused by injuries he sustained during the torture sessions. He told me that the soldiers used a pair of pliers to pluck his fingernails and other body parts before being made to dance nonstop throughout the day and night,” Mpuuga said.

Although Kakwenza is out on bail, the bodily harm done to him is possibly irreversible.

“Healing scars and other marks of torture covered his body as he slightly limped into the room where I was seated. He lowered his yellow mask to smile at me but I read pain written all over his face,” Mpuuga recalled after visiting Kakwenza in jail.