Uganda Law Society to petition UN over missing activist Sam Mugumya

The Uganda Law Society (ULS) has announced its intention to escalate the case of missing activist Sam Mugumya to the United Nations. This move comes in response to the continued uncertainty surrounding Mugumya’s whereabouts, over a year after his alleged abduction.

Mugumya, a former mobiliser for the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and an activist, was reportedly taken by security operatives in Mbarara City on August 26, 2025. Witnesses claim he was forced into a vehicle and driven away. Despite family efforts, including habeas corpus applications, authorities have neither produced him in court nor acknowledged holding him.

The ULS Vice President, Anthony Asiimwe, stated that the society is closely monitoring the situation, particularly following the recent circulation of a video that appears to show Mugumya. The ULS will engage with UN special procedures concerning enforced and involuntary disappearances to seek accountability and protection for Mugumya.

This international appeal is intended to complement, not replace, the ongoing legal efforts by Mugumya’s counsel and to ensure independent international scrutiny of the case, aligning with Uganda’s treaty obligations. The ULS also highlighted concerns about the lack of accountability from the government regarding Mugumya’s constitutional rights.

Mugumya’s disappearance occurred less than three years after he returned from the Democratic Republic of Congo, where he had been detained for over eight years on rebellion charges before his release in October 2022. His mother had previously petitioned the ULS for assistance in finding her son, expressing hope upon seeing the recent video footage.

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/uls-to-petition-un-over-missing-activist-sam-mugumya-5615706