The High Court has pushed back the hearing in Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi’s case to 10 March 2026 . Defence lawyers led by Medard Ssegona revealed that Kivumbi never recorded a police statement because he refused to follow the police’s scripted narrative, especially regarding the murders at his house. He slammed the investigation as lopsided and […]
The High Court has pushed back the hearing in Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi’s case to 10 March 2026 .
Defence lawyers led by Medard Ssegona revealed that Kivumbi never recorded a police statement because he refused to follow the police’s scripted narrative, especially regarding the murders at his house. He slammed the investigation as lopsided and called on the authorities to appoint impartial officers.
“They wanted a particular line of statement, which he declined, especially when he mentioned the murders that took place at his house on that fateful night. So we complained to the court that the police is carrying out lopsided investigations, and they need to be compelled first to get impartial and objective police officers to carry out objective and professional investigations. The magistrate said it’s the DPP’s job to oversee the investigation, not the court. We will find ways to compel the DPP to act,” Lubega said.
He also pointed out that the accused had no knowledge of the charges, no lawyer, and no access to next of kin at the time of arrest. The magistrate said releasing the accused on these grounds would require a formal application, which Lubega promised to file.
“He was never informed of the offence he committed, no access to his lawyer, no access to his next of kin, and so on and so forth, at the time of bringing him to court. The magistrate thinks that should be a formal application, which is not a difficult job anyway. So he declined on those accounts.” He further stated
The counsel stressed that the state must act expeditiously, as guaranteed under Article 28 of the Constitution. He added that his team may return to court before March if necessary.
Kivumbi, a high‑profile MP and deputy president for the National Unity Platform in Buganda, went from election campaigner to accused terror suspect in the space of days after Uganda’s tense January 2026 general election.
Police swooped on Kivumbi at his home in Butambala, arresting him in connection with deadly post‑election violence that left seven people dead during clashes around polling day. The MP was accused of being involved in unrest that included attacks on a police station and an electoral tally centre.
President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni had publicly accused Kivumbi and others of backing “terrorist” panga attacks following his defeat in the Butambala race.
At Butambala Magistrate’s Court, Kivumbi was hit with a terrorism charge, a grave offence under Uganda’s Anti‑Terrorism Act and remanded to Kitalya Prison. Prosecutors allege that between January 11–17, Kivumbi and co‑accused plotted and carried out violent attacks meant to intimidate, influence government actions and destabilise security.
Investigators didn’t stop with him. On February 3, the state amended the charge sheet, adding 24 other suspects, many said to be Kivumbi’s polling agents. The prosecution told court that investigations were still ongoing and asked for extended remand.
Kivumbi’s lawyers have blasted the handling of the case, alleging rights violations, flawed investigations, and disputed death tolls. They say he was never properly informed of the charges or given a fair chance to record his statement, raising concerns about impartiality and due process.
