Written By | Our Reporter
Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira was recently arrested by security agencies and is currently being held in lawful custody to assist with ongoing investigations
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By Our Reporter
The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has confirmed the arrest of a Catholic priest from Masaka Diocese over alleged involvement in what the military describes as violent subversive activities against the state, days after the Diocese raised alarm over his disappearance.
In a press statement issued on Sunday, December 14, 2025, the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs said Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira was recently arrested by security agencies and is currently being held in lawful custody to assist with ongoing investigations.
“The suspect was arrested for involvement in violent subversive activities against the state and is currently in custody to facilitate further investigations,” the statement reads.
The statement, signed by Col. Chris Magezi, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information, adds that Fr. Ssekabira will be produced before courts of law and charged in accordance with the law once investigations are complete.
The UPDF statement follows a December 13, 2025 communication from the Bishop of Masaka Diocese, Rt. Rev. Severus Jjumba, who condemned what he described as the abduction of the priest by armed men dressed in Uganda Army uniform.
According to Bishop Jjumba, Fr. Ssekabira, a curate at Bumangi Parish and Director of Uplift Primary School, was taken on Wednesday, December 3, 2025, at about 1:00 pm from his office in Katwe, Masaka City.
“Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira was kidnapped by men in Uganda Army uniform. All efforts to locate him have so far been fruitless,” Bishop Jjumba said, describing the incident as “a grievous wound inflicted on Masaka Diocese, the Catholic Church, and the priest’s family.”
The Bishop said the Diocese, together with its lawyers, was pursuing all available legal avenues to ensure the priest’s safe return.
He also directed all priests and faithful in Masaka Diocese to observe a Rosary Triduum—three consecutive days of prayer using the Sorrowful Mysteries—for the safety of Fr. Ssekabira, the Church, and the country.
The Bishop noted that his statement was issued from Our Lady of Sorrows Kitovu Cathedral, the site from which Msgr. Clement Mukasa was abducted in 1976 and was never seen again.
The matter has since drawn national attention, with calls for transparency and respect for due process. Legal analysts have cautioned that under Uganda’s Constitution, suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty by a competent court of law.
Meanwhile, National Unity Platform (NUP) presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, condemned what he termed the “brutal arrest and abduction” of the priest.
“This continued targeting of religious leaders and civilians by armed men is unacceptable and undermines the rule of law,” Kyagulanyi said, calling on security agencies to explain the circumstances surrounding the arrest.
Security agencies have not disclosed details of the alleged subversive activities, citing the sensitivity of ongoing investigations.
