KAMPALA — Veteran politician and women’s rights advocate Miria Matembe has been arrested after reportedly spending two days in hiding following a security operation at her residence in Luzira.
According to family members, Matembe was taken into custody on Monday and transferred to Mbuya. Media personality JK Kazoora, who is Matembe’s nephew, said she had been provided with her medication after the arrest.
“She was arrested about two hours before I shared the update and taken to Mbuya. She has received her medication, and by tomorrow or Tuesday we hope to know whether she will be transferred to Luzira Prison or released,” Kazoora said.
Kazoora explained that Matembe had avoided arrest during the initial security raid on her home on June 26 after allegedly receiving advance warning while she was out for her morning jog. He said she sought temporary refuge in nearby bushes before spending time at a neighbour’s house and later relocating to a friend’s home.
The family had earlier believed security agencies were no longer pursuing her after Kazoora said he had received assurances from senior government officials that she could safely return home. However, he claimed that security later tracked down her location after two of her associates were arrested.
“I informed family members and close friends that she was no longer being pursued, but this morning two of her friends were arrested. I believe their communications were monitored, leading security to Auntie’s whereabouts,” Kazoora said.
Earlier on Monday, rights activists Dr. Sarah Bireete and Eunice Musiime were briefly detained by security personnel before being released. It remains unclear whether they are the same individuals Kazoora referred to.
Security officers first raided Matembe’s Luzira residence while she was away. Her husband, Nehemiah Matembe, said the officers searched the home without identifying themselves or explaining the purpose of the operation before leaving.
Following the raid, the family reported her missing, fearing she may have been intercepted while exercising.
Matembe, a former Minister of Ethics and Integrity and one of the contributors to Uganda’s 1995 Constitution, has in recent years become an outspoken government critic, frequently raising concerns over alleged human rights violations, enforced disappearances, and the increasing involvement of the military in political affairs.
The family says they hope to receive clarity on her legal status in the coming days.