Former Butambala County MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi has been granted bail by a court in Butambala, his supporters said, following months of legal proceedings and a previous episode in which he was re-arrested shortly after securing release.
The latest bail decision comes less than three months after Kivumbi was granted bail by Uganda’s International Crimes Division of the High Court in a terrorism case, only to be intercepted in Mpigi the following day while travelling from Butambala to Kampala.
Kivumbi’s supporters welcomed the latest court decision but expressed concern that he could again be taken into custody.
“We can all hope and pray that he won’t be abducted or arrested again as happened last time,” the statement said, thanking people who had followed the case and residents of Butambala for what it described as a strong show of solidarity.
The circumstances surrounding his earlier re-arrest generated political and legal controversy. His lawyers said he was intercepted by armed operatives in Mpigi and taken away in a vehicle commonly known as a “drone”. Uganda Police said at the time that it had no record of arresting or detaining him.
The matter was subsequently raised in Parliament, with Opposition Leader Joel Ssenyonyi demanding information about Kivumbi’s whereabouts.
Kivumbi later resurfaced at Nateete Police Station after more than two weeks and was transferred to Butambala, where he was presented before the Chief Magistrate’s Court on fresh charges. He was subsequently remanded to Kitalya Prison.
His earlier terrorism case stems from alleged violence in Butambala during the January 2026 general elections. Prosecutors accused Kivumbi and others of involvement in attacks on Kibibi Police Station and the Butambala Electoral Commission tally centre, among other acts. Kivumbi has denied the allegations.
In July, Justice Susan Okalany granted Kivumbi bail after finding that the prosecution had not demonstrated sufficient grounds to justify continued detention. The court imposed conditions including a cash bail of 10 million Ugandan shillings, surety requirements and restrictions on travel.
The latest bail ruling does not determine Kivumbi’s guilt or innocence. His cases remain before the courts, where prosecutors must prove the allegations against him beyond the required legal standard.
For now, his release has renewed attention on the treatment of opposition figures in Uganda and the question of whether individuals released on bail can leave court and remain at liberty while their cases proceed.
