Former Northern Uganda Diocese Bishop Rt. Rev. Nelson Onono-Onweng has openly challenged Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba over the ongoing crackdown on media houses and alleged abductions, insisting that the army commander is “not the authority” in Uganda and must stop actions that violate the country’s laws.
Speaking to Favour fm yesterday, Bishop Onono-Onweng said the reported closure of independent media outlets and the wave of alleged abductions being claimed by the CDF were unlawful and unacceptable.
His remarks came just hours after Gen. Muhoozi, through his official X account, confirmed that he had ordered the shutdown of Nation Media Group outlets NTV Uganda, Spark TV, Daily Monitor, Dembe FM and KFM -the country’s top independent media body.
Bishop Onono-Onweng notes that Gen. Muhoozi had exceeded his mandate in view of the current development on media shut down and security crackdown on government critics adding that the CDF must stop his actions.
Reacting on the recent wave of arrests and alleged abductions of government critics, the retired bishop distinguished lawful arrests from illegal detentions, saying criminal suspects should only be handled through established legal procedures.
The latest of such abduction and detention is of the former Minister of Ethics and Integrity and women rights advocate Miria Matembe, just days after the abduction of former Kampala Capital City Authority (KCCA) Mayor Erias Lukwago.
The clerics’ concerns came just a day after security agencies on Sunday arrested two prominent civil society leaders and lawyers, Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime, before releasing them after several hours of interrogation.
The circumstances of their arrest were not immediately clear and the incident added to growing concerns over the treatment of government critics and civic actors in the country.
By URN
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