Ugandan Police Arrest NUP Vice President Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi Over Post-Election Violence in Butambala

Ugandan authorities have detained Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, the Butambala County MP and National Unity Platform (NUP) Vice President for Buganda, in connection with alleged election-related violence in the district, amid ongoing disputes over deadly clashes that claimed seven lives.

The Uganda Police Force confirmed the arrest in a statement issued Thursday morning, stating that Kivumbi is in custody and will be arraigned in court soon. “The Uganda Police Force confirms the arrest of the Butambala County legislator, Hon Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi. He is in police custody and will be arraigned before court in due course,” the statement read, linking the detention to “recent incidents of political violence in Butambala.”

NUP officials and supporters reported that security personnel apprehended Kivumbi around 6:50 AM, with initial uncertainty about his whereabouts. The arrest follows heightened tensions after violent confrontations during and after the January 15 general elections in Butambala, where unclear circumstances led to multiple fatalities.

President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni, addressing the nation on Sunday while receiving official results at Rwakitura, accused opposition elements—specifically naming Kivumbi—of orchestrating attacks after electoral defeats. “In Butambala, a character called Kivumbi was defeated. Then they planned that where NUP is defeated, gangs with pangas should attack the polling station,” Museveni claimed, adding that security forces responded, resulting in seven deaths. He condemned political extremism and vowed zero tolerance for violence, urging Ugandans to promote peace.

Kivumbi has vehemently denied these allegations, asserting that security officers raided his home during vote tallying, killing members of his campaign team inside the premises. “They were killed inside my house. They weren’t even on the road. They were looking for me,” he stated prior to his arrest. Video evidence from the following morning showed bullet damage to doors and walls, with several individuals reportedly fleeing the scene.

Police have countered this narrative, with Katonga region spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe explaining that officers were responding to earlier chaos, including alleged assaults on a tally center and police station by opposition supporters.

Official election results indicate Kivumbi lost the Butambala County parliamentary seat to journalist Eriasa Mukiibi.

Opposition leaders have condemned the arrest as politically motivated and renewed demands for an independent investigation into the killings and broader election violence. Authorities maintain that the detention is part of ongoing probes to ensure accountability.

As tensions persist, calls for transparency and justice continue to grow from civil society and international observers monitoring Uganda’s post-election landscape.