NUP Demands Answers Over Six-Month Delay in William Baliza Habeas Corpus Case

The National Unity Platform (NUP) has raised serious concerns regarding the Judiciary’s handling of a habeas corpus application filed for William Baliza, a young man reportedly abducted by state security operatives earlier this year. Baliza has been missing since February 10, 2026, after he was allegedly picked up over a TikTok video.

According to NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya, the party’s legal team filed the production order application before the Civil Division of the High Court in Kampala on May 4, 2026. However, six months later, the case has still not been allocated a hearing date despite repeated reminders sent to the court.

Mr Rubongoya highlighted the delay on social media, drawing attention to a recent inaugural lecture by Makerere University law professor Christopher Mbazira, who stressed the life-and-death urgency of habeas corpus petitions. Under Ugandan law, these applications are meant to safeguard personal liberty and prevent unlawful confinement.

Court documents show that the NUP legal team named several top security and legal offices as respondents, including the Attorney General, the Inspector General of Police, and the heads of military and internal intelligence.

Baliza’s case is part of a wider controversy surrounding alleged enforced disappearances of opposition supporters and critics. During an August 2026 parliamentary session, Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi pressed the government over missing activists, including Baliza, Christopher Godie, and Sam Mugumya.

In response to Parliament’s inquiries, Defence Minister Kiryowa Kiwanuka stated that the government was also unaware of the individuals’ whereabouts and promised an investigation. Despite those assurances, Baliza’s family and legal team continue to search for answers as the court silence persists.

For more details on this story, read the original report on Daily Monitor.