Kivumbi Reappears After 19-Day Disappearance, Charged With Inciting Violence
By Skika Reporter.
National Unity Platform (NUP) Deputy President Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi has resurfaced after 19 days of disappearance following his alleged abduction on 10 July, just hours after he had been granted bail by International Crimes Division Judge Suzan Okalany alongside his co-accused.
Kivumbi had spent six months on remand facing terrorism charges linked to violence that erupted on polling day, 15 January 2026.
According to the prosecution, the charges stemmed from unrest that followed security operations at his home, during which police and military personnel reportedly opened fire, leaving 10 people dead and several others injured.
After securing bail, Kivumbi reportedly enjoyed only a few hours of freedom before he was intercepted while travelling to Kampala through Mpigi District.
Witnesses said his vehicle was stopped by police officers before armed men dressed in black allegedly dragged him into a waiting Toyota Hiace, commonly referred to as a “drone.” His whereabouts remained unknown for the next 19 days.
Throughout the period of his disappearance, both the Uganda Police Force and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces denied holding Kivumbi, despite his family filing a habeas corpus application seeking his production before court.
On Tuesday, Kivumbi reportedly resurfaced after unknown individuals allegedly abandoned him at Natete Police Station.
He was later transferred to Butambala, where he appeared before a magistrate’s court and was charged with inciting violence and holding an unlawful assembly.
The court remanded him until 11 August as investigations continue.
Kivumbi’s reappearance and subsequent prosecution have renewed public debate over enforced disappearances, due process, and the treatment of political figures during ongoing legal proceedings
