Muwanga Kivumbi Reappears at Nateete Police After 19 Days

The prolonged uncertainty surrounding the whereabouts of former Butambala County MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi has ended with his emergence at Nateete Police Station. His reappearance follows nineteen days of absence, during which his family, legal team, and supporters engaged in a rigorous search and legal pursuit.

The National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy president for Buganda Region was found hours before a scheduled hearing of his habeas corpus application at the High Court. This legal maneuver was initiated to compel authorities to produce him before the court.

Following his discovery at Nateete Police, Kivumbi was transferred under heavy security to the Butambala Chief Magistrate’s Court. His party described the previous nineteen days as a period of incommunicado detention, expressing relief at his surfacing, though they had not yet had the opportunity to see him.

Kivumbi’s disappearance began on July 10, shortly after he had been granted bail by the High Court. His brother reported that their vehicle was stopped near Mpigi Police Station, and security officers allegedly removed Kivumbi and took him away in another vehicle.

Allegations of torture and critical condition at Bombo Military Hospital were made by his family and party, prompting the habeas corpus application. However, both the police and the military officially denied any knowledge of his arrest or detention, stating that their records did not indicate he was in their custody.

The High Court had previously expressed difficulty in issuing a habeas corpus order without knowing who was holding Kivumbi. Justice Collins Acellam had granted security agencies seven days to investigate and report on his location.

Kivumbi was later charged with incitement to violence and managing an unlawful society at the Butambala Magistrates Court. The circumstances of his disappearance and ultimate reappearance remain unclear, but the episode has heightened concerns among his supporters regarding the treatment of opposition figures.

Source: Nile Post