The National Unity Platform (NUP) has accused the Ugandan government of orchestrating the arrest of about 40 elders from the Teso Sub-region shortly after they met with NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, also known as Bobi Wine.
The elders, who are Teso War Claimants seeking compensation for losses suffered during past conflicts, were reportedly detained at Wandegeya Police Station.
According to NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, the elders had visited the party’s headquarters in Kampala to engage with the opposition leader and discuss strengthening NUP’s presence in the Teso region.
Rubongoya took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to express outrage over the arrests, claiming that the elders were surrounded by military personnel as soon as they boarded their bus to return home.
“Unbelievable! 40 elders from Teso Sub-region who came to visit @NUP_Ug offices and our leader @HEBobiwine have been arrested and are being detained at Wandegeya Police,” Rubongoya wrote.
“As soon as they got into their bus to return home, the military surrounded them, took them away, and ordered them not to pick any phone call. After failing to trace them for several hours, it turned out they had been abducted before being dropped at police. UNBELIEVABLE!” he added.
NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi also reacted to the incident, decrying what he called increased government repression.
“This morning before our offices at Kavule were raided, we hosted over 40 elders from Teso Sub-region to discuss how to strengthen @NUP_Ug in the region. They expressed frustration over the many failed promises by the Museveni, including the repeated failure to compensate the Teso War Claimants. Guess what happened after the meeting? They were abducted, and later dumped them at Wandegeya Police Station where they are still being held!” Bobi Wine posted on X.
The opposition leader further condemned the treatment of the arrested individuals, highlighting that some of them were in their 80s.
Kyagulanyi further claimed that security forces had placed the NUP headquarters under siege.
“The @NUP_Ug Headquarters still under siege!” he wrote, further alleging that police were conducting illegal searches.
In response to the allegations, the Uganda Police Force issued a press release dated February 21, 2025, justifying their actions. 
The statement cited reports of “unauthorized military drills” at the NUP headquarters in Kavule and other premises in Kamwokya, prompting a coordinated security operation.
“Following reports of unauthorized military drills at the National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters in Kavule and their premises in Kamwokya in Kampala City, the Uganda Police Force, in collaboration with other security agencies, has mounted a coordinated security operation,” the statement read.
“Our security personnel are currently conducting searches at the mentioned locations. Further updates on the outcomes of this operation will be provided in due course.”
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Ingaibo engalari ipolok lu ngina anyamia. Tgese oldmen really could not have believed in claiming from a govt yet to be unless someone used them for political accountability n visibility
Do this elders think like NUP will compesate them after govts failure or some politician just is using them for some personal gain?
Am really disappointed with such selfish comments from my people who think the elders who are fighting for their rights for a compensation were used for individual gains very unfortunate for such think tanks in Teso.
I just think something is terribly wrong here how can these elders even start travelling with the intention of meeting NUP leadership, since when did opposition start compensating war victims and if they talked about politics which politics can these elders play?Wonders shall never end
I think the Old men have lost hope in waiting for government compensation which NUP too can not compensate but they want government to know they are not happy while waiting for the compensation that is how they headed to KAVULE.