Butambala MP Muwanga Kivumbi arrested
Photo courtesy; Daily Monitor
By Sulaina Nakidde
The police have confirmed the arrest of the Butambala County Member of Parliament (MP) Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi.
Katonga Region police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe has said that his arrest is in connection with recent incidents that were recently reported in Butambala that claimed several lives and left scores injured.
“The Uganda Police Force would like to confirm the arrest of Butambala County MP Hon Muwanga Kivumbi. He is currently in police custody and will be arraigned before court in due course”, said Tumushabe.
Kivumbi arrest comes just days after President Museveni accused his party, the National Unity Platform (NUP) of panga terrorism.
During his victory address at his home in Rwakitura, Kiruhura District on Sunday, the president openly accused the legislator of backing violent “panga-wielding” attacks that he described as terrorist acts linked to post-election unrest.
He claimed that after he was defeated in the Butambala parliamentary race, unknown assailants armed with machetes attempted to attack the opposing groups.
However, in a video recording shared on social media on Saturday Kivumbi rejected the accusations, instead accusing security forces of using excessive force on voters, showing bullet-riddled garage doors and shattered windows at one of his reported premises.
His arrest brings to three the number of senior NUP leaders who have been arrested or gone missing since election day, with hiding party president Bobi Wine denouncing a mounting crackdown.
This is not the first such incident. After the previous elections, former MPs Muhammad Ssegirinya and Allan Ssewanyana were detained for more than 500 days over murder and terrorism charges linked to deadly panga violence in Buganda.
Ssegirinya later died and later the state dropped charges against him in March 2025.
