Muhammad Kayizzi a prominent and daring Ugandan opposition political activist has gone missing after being hounded by the Ugandan security services , his family and friends have said.
Kayizzi’s family says Ugandan security operatives on many occasions have trailed, kidnapped and detained him in different dungeons across the country because of his political activism and criticising the Kampala political establishment that has been at the helm for the last 40years.
Muhammed Kayizzi and his team have been renowned for publicly denouncing President Museveni regime for its excesses in handling political opponents opposed to his regime.
He is also outspoken on public interest issues including using different forums to demand for social justice, service delivery , creating awareness and demanding for accountability.
His friends believe that with his type of activism, it did not go down well with government fanatics hence resulting into collusion with the state and it’s enablers.
A close friend reveals that Kayizzi disappeared from his circles after getting a tip off that security forces were again closing on him and planning to politically charge him with tramped charges in it’s kangaroo courts.
“Eversince he went missing, several operatives have been harassing us to get the details of whereabouts and who could have been his political funders.” A friend narrates.
Muhammad Kayizzi started his political activities as a member of opposition party, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) which was the main opposition Party in Uganda, in the year 2015.
His journey has been full of thones and pain due to harassment and had become a common name in almost all secret security dungeons spread across Kampala.
Kayizzi was one of the FDC Youth leaders whose main duty was to mobilise the FDC youth in Rubaga Division, Kampala.
His first encounter while leading other youth political activists was in September 2016 where he was detained by the army in it’s safe house in Lower Mbuya hill, a Kampala suburb where he spent weeks under torture.
Kayizzi was then taken to a detention house in Kireka another Kampala suburb manned by the police and military where he spent three (3) days without any contact with his family members.
Through this torture, the government hoped to discourage him from mobilizing the youth.
Due to too much pressure from the political players, a senior lawyer Nsubuga Mubiru of Nsubuga Mubiru andAdvocates pushed for his temporary release.
It is reported that he has since been traumatized and still regard it as a big blow to his entire life.
In December 2017, again he led a peaceful demonstration walk with protesters wearing red bands on heads in Kampala to demonstrate against the Constitutional Removal of the Age Limit Bill that sought to cement President Museveni’s life presidency.
While at the scene, Kayizzi is remembered for informing the gathering in the presence of the military and Police that “This a test of democracy. President Museveni is out to brutalise us but we are not relenting”.
The walk was nipped in the bud after the military and police, sprayed teargas and shot live bullets to disparce the gathering.
Kayizzi was rounded up from here and was forced into a waiting black numberless Toyota Hiace, popularly known as drones and was driven to a Military Police Safe house in Makindye where he spent 4 days.
He was later released after the intervention of FDC leaders.
On August 15, 2018, Kayizzi was arrested alongside other FDC party supporters by security forces while trying to organise their candidate Bruce Musema’s poll registers at Kebir polling station.
This was a byelection to replace former Arua municipality member of parliament Hon Abiriga who had been gunned down in Matuga, Kawanda, outside Kampala city.
During the byelection campaign, chaos erupted in Arua city following attempts by President Museveni’s security to stop the opposition rally in favor of regime candidate Nusura Tiperu.
Kayizzi who was part of Dr. Kizza Besigye entourage was dragged into waiting military vehicles and was whisked away under intense torture.
The group is reported to have managed to flee from the military cells in remote northern Uganda after 6 days of intensive torture by the help of sympathetic army officers on August 21,
After escaping from Gulu Barracks, the badly wounded Kayizzi was taken to Doctor’s house in Mutundwe for medical care.
Friends say around October 2020, Kayizzi disappeared without trace as a cheerleader adding that they have been under pressure and torment from security agencies that have been baying for his head to produce him dead or alive.
