Yesterday morning he was in Wandegeya, paying cash bail. Yesterday evening he was in Butambala, standing before a crowd that sang his name. Today, he is missing.
Hon. Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, NUP Deputy President for Central Region and former MP for Butambala, was intercepted and taken by armed men at a military roadblock in Mpigi. It happened on his way back to Kampala, just hours after his release.
169 days on remand. 1 day of freedom. And now an unknown location.
How The Day Started
The International Crimes Division granted him cash bail of Shs10 million. Each co-accused got Shs1 million. Six others had their applications deferred.
The terms were strict: surrender passport, report every last Friday to ICD, report monthly in Butambala. But he was free.
From court he went home. And home, for Kivumbi, is Butambala. Hundreds lined the roads. Supporters sang. Senior NUP leaders including Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi were there.
Addressing the crowd, Kivumbi thanked Butambala for standing with him. He said he was not done. He said he would return to political work after a short break. He said his influence had not died because he was no longer in Parliament.
He also used the moment to speak sharply against what he called the illegal arrest of opposition figures. He named President Museveni and CDF Gen. Muhoozi, accusing them of running a dictatorship that targets opponents.
It was defiant. It was expected. It was also the last public speech we have of him for now.
What Happened in Mpigi
On his way back to Kampala, his vehicle was stopped at a military roadblock in Mpigi.
Witness accounts say armed men moved in. They took him. They drove off. Destination unknown.
His lawyers confirmed it about an hour later: “Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi’s whereabouts remain unknown after his re-arrest about an hour ago in Mpigi.”
Security has not commented.
To the ordinary Ugandan on a taxi in Mpigi, this looks familiar. A release in the morning. A re-arrest in the evening. The law gives, and the same state takes back.
To the lawyer, this raises immediate questions: On what new charge? Under what warrant? Will state present him to court within 48 hours as the Constitution demands? Why not execute a court order instead of a roadblock pickup?
Why This Hits Different
This is not his first arrest. But the timing is what makes people angry.
He was not arrested _before_ bail. He was arrested _after_ bail. After a judge looked at the file and said: “The state has not proven flight risk or danger. Let him go.”
That means two arms of the state are speaking in different voices. One said “release with conditions.” The other said “take him again.”
For NUP, this confirms what they have been saying: that court orders do not protect opposition leaders. That bail is just a pause before the next detention.
Either way, the public is left with one impression: the courts can open the door, but someone else can close it.
The Words That May Have Cost Him
In Butambala, Kivumbi did not go quiet.
He condemned the arrest of opposition figures. He called out Museveni and Muhoozi by name. He vowed to continue NUP’s campaign.
In Uganda’s current politics, that is high-risk speech.
Museveni is President. Muhoozi is CDF and the face of PLU. When an opposition leader links both to “dictatorship” hours after walking out of a terrorism case, the state reads it as escalation.
Whether that justifies a roadblock abduction is another question. Legally, no. Politically, it explains why it happened so fast.
What Happens to the Case Now
Remember: the terrorism case is still in court. Bail does not mean acquittal.
Now there is a new development layered on top.
His lawyers will likely do three things:
1. Habeas Corpus. Take the state to court to produce him.
2. Contempt. Argue that re-arresting someone hours after bail undermines the judiciary.
3. Political mobilization. NUP will turn this into a rallying point, just as they did with his first arrest.
For the state, the pressure is to produce him, charge him, or release him. Silence only makes the “abduction” narrative stronger.
The Bigger Picture for 2026 and Beyond.
If an MP can get bail and be taken again before he reaches Kampala, what message does that send to candidates, agents, and voters in Butambala, in Lango, in Busoga?
It sends two messages at once:
– To the opposition: “Your freedom is conditional.”
– To the public: “The state is in charge, with or without a court order.”
That is a dangerous place to govern from. Because when people stop believing courts protect them, they stop going to courts. They go to the streets. Or they go silent.
The Question Uganda Must Answer
What is bail worth if it can be undone at the next roadblock?
Muwanga Kivumbi spent 169 days in because the state said he was a threat. A judge spent 30 minutes and said he was not. Now armed men have decided the judge was wrong.
If there is new evidence, bring it to court. If there is a new charge, read it to him. If there is nothing, bring him back.
Because today it is Kivumbi in Mpigi. Tomorrow it could be anyone who speaks loudly and drives through the wrong checkpoint.
Freedom that lasts one day is not freedom. It is a warning.
And Uganda is watching to see what happens next.
