The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) have confirmed holding a Catholic priest who has been missing for days, saying he is in lawful custody over alleged involvement in violent subversive activities against the state.
In a press statement issued on December 14, the UPDF said Rev. Fr. Deusdedit Ssekabira of the Masaka Diocese was recently arrested by security forces and is currently detained to assist with ongoing investigations. The army said he will be produced in court and charged in accordance with the law.
The statement, released by the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs through the Department of Defence Public Information, was signed by Chris Magezi, the Acting Director of Defence Public Information.
The army’s confirmation follows days of uncertainty after Masaka Diocese reported that the priest had gone missing. In a letter dated December 13, the diocese said Rev. Fr. Ssekabira, a curate at Bumangi Parish and Director of Uplift Primary School, had allegedly been kidnapped by men in army uniform on December 3, 2025, in Katwe, Masaka City.
In the communication addressed to the faithful, the Bishop of Masaka, Severus Jjumba, described the disappearance as a painful blow to the diocese and the wider Catholic Church, noting that efforts to trace the priest had initially yielded no results.
The revelation that Rev. Fr. Ssekabira is in state custody is likely to raise fresh public debate, particularly over the circumstances of his arrest and the delay in official disclosure, as attention now turns to court proceedings and the specific charges he is expected to face.