Police have confirmed the arrest of Butambala County legislator Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, a senior member of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, in connection with alleged incidents of election-related violence that followed Uganda’s January 15 general election. In a statement issued on Thursday, January 22, 2026, the Uganda Police Force spokesperson said the MP is […]
Police have confirmed the arrest of Butambala County legislator Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, a senior member of the National Unity Platform (NUP) party, in connection with alleged incidents of election-related violence that followed Uganda’s January 15 general election.
In a statement issued on Thursday, January 22, 2026, the Uganda Police Force spokesperson said the MP is currently in custody and will be arraigned before court in due course. Police said the arrest is linked to what they described as recent incidents of political violence in Butambala District, where clashes erupted after polls closed.
Katonga Region police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe had earlier confirmed the arrest,saying authorities have taken steps to investigate allegations connected to violent incidents during and after the election. Neither Kituuma nor Tumushabe divulged details on specific charges.
Kivumbi, who also serves as Buganda Region President of the NUP lost his parliamentary seat.
Kituuma says he was reportedly picked up by security personnel in the early hours of the morning.
President Yoweri Museveni while in Rwakitura accused Kivumbi and other opposition supporters of planning violent “panga-wielding” attacks in areas where they lost polls, including Butambala, a claim Kivumbi has repeatedly denied.
On the night after Uganda’s January 15, 2026 general election, violence erupted in Butambala District at the home of opposition MP Kivumbi. The situation quickly became controversial because two different versions emerged.
Kivumbi and his supporters said security forces stormed his residence and opened fire, killing several people inside the compound. They described the incident as a brutal attack and accused the police and army of using excessive force.
Police, however, said the MP’s supporters were a group of armed men who planned to attack the local police station and vote tally centre. Police said they acted in self-defence and used live ammunition to stop the planned violence. They confirmed arrests were made and that people were killed, but they did not give full details on the number of deaths.
The conflicting accounts have made the Butambala incident a central point of tension in the post-election
