Ugandan opposition leader Bobi Wine has publicly demanded answers regarding the whereabouts of MP Muwanga Kivumbi, who has been missing for 10 days. While Wine alleges the lawmaker was tortured at a military barracks, the state informed the Butambala Chief Magistrate’s Court that Kivumbi’s location remains unknown.
Disappearance and Allegations of Torture
The whereabouts of Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, an opposition figure and the Deputy President of the Buganda region, have become the center of a deepening political crisis. According to reporting from Peopledaily, opposition leader Bobi Wine claims the lawmaker was abducted in broad daylight 10 days ago and has not been seen since.
Wine alleges that Kivumbi is being held at the Kasenyi Special Forces Command (SFC) military barracks, where he has reportedly been subjected to severe physical abuse. In a public statement, Wine expressed deep concern that the government is concealing the MP to allow his physical wounds to heal before he is eventually presented to the public.
Court Proceedings and State Response
The legal fallout of the disappearance reached the Butambala Chief Magistrate’s Court, where Kivumbi was scheduled to appear alongside more than 20 co-accused individuals on terrorism charges. The proceedings were presided over by Chief Magistrate Deogracious Ssejjemba.
During the hearing, State Attorney Salam Nabbosa informed the court that the government could not account for Kivumbi and requested the issuance of criminal summons to compel his appearance. This request was met with opposition from Kivumbi’s defense team, led by Samuel Muyizzi and Kenneth Paul Kakande, who argued that it is contradictory for the state to seek summons for a man they have held in custody since his reported arrest on Friday, July 10, in Mpigi District.
Chief Magistrate Ssejjemba ultimately declined the prosecution’s request for criminal summons and adjourned the matter to August 20. The defense team is now preparing to appear before the High Court in Kampala to argue for a writ of habeas corpus, a legal maneuver intended to force the state to produce the legislator, whether he is alive or deceased.
A Pattern of Political Tension
The uncertainty surrounding Kivumbi’s status follows a period of heightened volatility in Uganda. Earlier this year, the nation experienced a disputed presidential election. Bobi Wine, who maintains he won the election, has frequently accused the administration of President Yoweri Museveni of using security forces to target political rivals and their families.
Many of us have gone through similar ordeals at the hands of this regime and were deliberately hidden from the public until our wounds and the evidence of torture had faded,
Wine stated, underscoring why he believes the current reports regarding Kivumbi must be treated with urgency.
Official Accountability and Next Steps
On Tuesday, July 14, the Leader of the Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, formally demanded an explanation for the disappearance. In response, Attorney General Sam Mayanja stated that the government required additional time to investigate the circumstances of the case.
As of Tuesday, July 21, the situation remains at an impasse. Neither the military nor the police have issued a formal accounting of Kivumbi’s status, leaving his family, legal counsel, and political allies to rely on the upcoming High Court hearing for any definitive information regarding his safety.
Sources: Nilepost.
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