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Monitor, a local media outlet reported Friday that Atwiine “likely” disappeared from a hotel in Manhattan on Tuesday night, only for the entourage to become aware of his missing on Wednesday when he was a no-show for breakfast.
The publication further reported that the Ugandan delegation led by PM Nabbanja initially assumed Mr Atwiine had overslept, but suspicion arose when calls and text messages to his mobile phone number went unanswered as time went by.
“Intercom calls to his room by the front desk too went unanswered, sparking a scare and notification of staff at Uganda’s Permanent Mission to the United Nations, the host of the premier’s delegation in New York,” reports the publication, known to be a critic of the ruling government.
“Our investigations show that the hotel permitted the Ugandan officials, including New York-based diplomats, access to Mr Atwiine’s room where they found some of his luggage but he was not there,” Monitor adds.
‘No need to worry’
The newspaper further reported that highly-placed sources close to the delegation said the bodyguard who has worked with Ms Nabbanja for close to a dozen years later got in touch with one of the members of the team and told him “not [to] worry about him” for he is not returning home.
The spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, Mr Charles Odongtho when contacted by the publication affirmed being aware of Atwiine’s disappearance and said the matter had been referred for investigations by relevant authorities.
Highly-placed sources said the bodyguard, who has worked with Ms Nabbanja for close to a dozen years, noti fied a delegation member to inform colleagues not [to] worry about him for he is not returning home.
In Kampala, Mr Charles Odongtho, the spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister, yesterday confirmed Mr Atwiine’s disappearance and said the matter had been referred for investigations by relevant authorities.
“Yes, it is true the prime minister’s bodyguard disappeared from her and this happened around 7 am New York time on Wednesday,” Mr Odongtho said, adding, “It is now a matter for the police, Uganda’s embassy in New York and New York authorities.”