MPs, Teso Leaders Silent 2 Weeks After Colleague’s Disappearance

KAMPALA, Uganda — More than two weeks after the disappearance of Amuria District Woman MP Maggie Etilu, leaders from the Teso sub-region have yet to publicly address her whereabouts, raising concern among her family, constituents, religious leaders and the wider public.

Etilu reportedly went missing May 23 after she was allegedly picked up by security operatives in Kampala. Since then, neither the Uganda Police Force nor the Special Forces Command has confirmed holding her or provided any official information about her whereabouts.

As concern grows, members of the Teso Parliamentary Group, to which Etilu belongs, have remained largely silent.

On Thursday, during coverage of President Yoweri Museveni’s State of the Nation Address at Kololo Ceremonial Grounds, several TPG members were asked why they had not publicly demanded answers about their colleague’s disappearance.

Some legislators, speaking privately, acknowledged growing frustration and said they had repeatedly exercised restraint following appeals from authorities they declined to identify.

They indicated that the matter would be discussed during a meeting with the Vice President, Jessica Alupo, on Friday and promised to comment afterward. URN was denied access at the Vice President’s office, where Alupo was reportedly meeting fellow legislators from Teso.

Since then, several MPs who had earlier spoken on condition of anonymity have either declined to answer calls or failed to respond to messages seeking comment. Sources familiar with Friday’s discussions confirmed that Etilu’s disappearance was among the issues raised during the meeting, although no member of the TPG has publicly disclosed the outcome.

Since her disappearance, Soroti City East MP Moses Attan appears to be the only Teso legislator known to have publicly commented on the matter.

Attan reportedly made remarks in a WhatsApp group after members repeatedly inquired about Etilu’s whereabouts.

According to the message, Etilu was allegedly being held by the Special Forces Command in Kasenyi, was safe, and had been visited by her husband, who was reportedly granted access to her place of detention.

However, these claims have not been independently verified. Several legislators later expressed the view that the matter was too sensitive for public discussion and criticized Attan for commenting on it.

Repeated attempts to obtain comments from Amuria County MP Samuel Ediau, Kapelebyong County MP Francis Akorikin, Minister for Teso Affairs, Kalaki County MP Clement Ongalo Obote, Minister of State for Sports, Ngariam County MP Peter Ogwang, and Moses Attan were unsuccessful. Calls and messages sent to their known contacts went unanswered.

Speaking on Etop Radio’s political talk show on Saturday, Amuria Resident District Commissioner Paul Eseru declined to provide details about Etilu’s disappearance when questioned by fellow panelist Benson Ekuwe.

Like several MPs, Eseru described the issue as sensitive and said he could not comment further. However, speaking after the program, Ekuwe criticized Teso leaders for what he described as their failure to seek accountability over the disappearance of one of the region’s leaders.

“There is a leadership challenge in Teso. The kind of leaders and their caliber are lacking. They are not the type to ask the government for accountability,” Ekuwe said. He compared the situation to a shepherd abandoning a flock during a crisis. “When we ask questions, nobody wants to answer, yet Etilu is an NRM leader, just like much of the current leadership in Amuria District,” he added.

Earlier this week, hundreds of Christians joined Etilu’s family in Amuria District for a prayer gathering, seeking divine intervention and answers regarding her disappearance. The event brought together clergy and believers from different denominations who expressed concern over the fate of the first-term legislator, who disappeared shortly after assuming office.

The prayers reflected growing frustration among residents, many of whom say they have not received any credible explanation about what happened to their representative. Meanwhile, speculation surrounding Etilu’s disappearance continues to circulate in political circles.

Some sources have linked her case to ongoing investigations involving former Speaker Anita Annet Among, alleging that Etilu may have known about security operations conducted at properties associated with Among in Kampala and Bukedea.

However, no government agency has publicly confirmed those claims, and no official statement has linked Etilu to any criminal investigation.

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