Nabasumba Proscovia
The mother of Edward Ssebufu, also known as Eddie Mutwe, the chief bodyguard of National Unity Platform (NUP) leader Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, popularly known as Bobi Wine, broke down in tears while speaking to the media about her son’s alleged mistreatment while in military custody.
Jane Nantumbwe, Eddy Mutwe’s mother, expressed distress over her son’s abduction and the events surrounding it, condemning the public humiliation of her son. “We are crying because of my son. It is shameful that he has been stripped naked like that for the public to see. I ask the people who have him to bring him back to us,” Nantumbwe said, her voice shaking with emotion.
Nantumbwe described her son as the “single matchstick” she had left, explaining how much he meant to the family. “Eddy is the only son I have. Just a few weeks ago, I was admitted to the hospital, and he was the one taking care of me. He has kids like you. Just like you love your children, we love him,” Nantumbwe said, her grief palpable.
The family is struggling to make ends meet, with Mutwe being the primary breadwinner. Nantumbwe pleaded with the authorities to release her son, dead or alive, or to charge him in court if he has committed any crime. “For all these years, it’s Eddie who has been taking care of me and his children. Please release him, dead or alive. If he committed any crime, take him to court and charge him. The kids are about to go back to school, and we need money for school fees, food, and other necessities,” she said.
Meanwhile, Bobi Wine warned about the deteriorating health and safety of his detained chief bodyguard, saying Mutwe is “dying slowly” while in military custody. “These are children of people, mothers and husbands. Like the missing 18 who were taken and have not been seen to this day – here are mothers and wives still looking for their loved ones who were arrested alongside Eddy Mutwe,” Kyagulanyi said in an emotional address.
Justice Minister Norbert Mao criticized security officials for the continued illegal detention of suspects, torturing them, and later producing them in court without adhering to the legal process. Mao said the latest case of Edward Sebuufu is disturbing and argued that the court should have declined to hear the case of a suspect who showed signs of torture.
Rights groups have also weighed in, condemning the situation and urging the Commander Defence Forces, Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, to release Mutwe immediately. They warn that actions like these are a recipe for disaster as the country approaches the 2026 presidential and parliamentary elections, potentially polarizing a country already divided by tribal fault lines and differences.
Mutwe, a bearded brown man and a family man with three children, was arrested on Sunday, April 27, 2025, in Mukono District, along with two other individuals. The controversy surrounding his detention deepened after the Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) General Muhoozi Kainerugaba tweeted about teaching Mutwe “Runyankore lessons” in his basement, sparking intense discussions on social media and mainstream media.
