Politician and Former Butambala County Member of Parliament Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi has been granted bail by the International Crimes Division of the High Court after spending 169 days on remand.
Kivumbi was arrested in January 2026 and had been held at Kitalya Prison while facing terrorism charges arising from the January 15, 2026 post-election violence in Butambala District.
The prosecution alleges that Kivumbi and his co-accused orchestrated attacks on Kibibi Police Station and the Butambala Electoral Commission tally centre during the election period.
The attacks allegedly resulted in the destruction of property, damage to vehicles and the deaths of seven people. Kivumbi and his co-accused deny the allegations.
A former MP for Butambala County and a senior leader in the National Unity Platform (NUP), Kivumbi previously served as chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Commissions, Statutory Authorities and State Enterprises (COSASE) and is the party’s deputy president for the Buganda region.
His bail application had been contested by the State, which argued that investigations were still ongoing and expressed concerns that the accused could interfere with witnesses if released.
The defence maintained that Kivumbi had fixed places of residence, substantial sureties and had endured prolonged remand without trial.
Kivumbi was granted temporary freedom along with 16 others but six of those he was on remand with.
Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi is a Ugandan politician, Economist and Member of Parliament Butambala County Constituency.
His political views and styles are closer to that of Dr Kizza Besigye Kifefe, former Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), leader of People’s Government and the four-time presidential candidate.
Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi was born on 19th Oct 1973 in Butambala District, Central part Uganda.
In 1986, Kivumbi sat for his Primary Leaving Examination (PLE) at Gombe Primary School. In 1990, he sat for his Uganda Certificate of Education (UCE) exams at Kibuli Secondary School.
In 1993, Kivumbi sat for his Uganda Advanced Certificate of Education (UACE) exams at Kibuli Secondary School. In 1998, Kivumbi graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Economics degree at Makerere University.
In 2003, he obtained an Associate Degree in Democracy and Development, at Uganda Martyrs University Nkozi. While in 2004, Kivumbi attained a Master of Human Resource Management at Uganda Management Institute (UMI).
Member of Parliament Butambala County Constituency 2013 to date. Shadow Minister of Internal Affairs 2014 to date. 2000-2001, Deputy Secretary-General Clerical Union. 1999, Personal Assistant to the Managing Director Peacock Paints
Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi’s political journey began the time he worked at Peacock Paints as an assistant to the director, Kaddu Kiberu. But when his political views grew stronger for Kaddu, Kivumbi was shown the exit route.
Then Kivumbi devoted his life to political activism. however, over time as a result of political circumstances, Kivumbi’s political views started to evolve including his views about Mengo, a Buganda Government where he was less active.
One of the experiences that helped change Kivumbi’s political views about Mengo is the harsh treatment Dr Paul Kawanga Ssemwogerere received from the government during the 1996 presidential election bid over his pro-Mengo stance.
As Ssemwogerere’s campaigner in Buganda, Kivumbi suffered the wrath of security agents, forcing him to recalibrate his views and approach. Today, he is unashamedly radical and prefers activism to ideological debates.
Kivumbi’s first attempt at elective politics ended in defeat when he lost his bid to become Guild President at Makerere University in the mid-1990s.
In 1998, Kivumbi contested for the Youth MP Central Region and he lost to Faisal Kikulukunyu.
In the 2011 elections, Kivumbi lost again to Kikulukunyu before the election was nullified on grounds of bribery but later the results were overturned making Kivumbi the winner.
Kivumbi is made of steel, unyielding and sometimes pushes beyond the limits. His political activism has led him to prison several times.
He was a leader of the pressure group, Popular Resistance Against Life Presidency (PRALP) and started a campaign against the lifting of the presidential term limit in 2004. As a result, he was arrested five times in two years.
Kivumbi was one of the brains behind Activists for Change (A4C), an opposition – leaning pressure group that started the walk-to-work campaign to draw attention to the harsh economic conditions in the country. Off the streets, he also made his contribution.
Kivumbi abandons DP to NUP
Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi revealed that it was a painful decision to abandon his longtime political party the Democratic Party (DP) for the National Unity Platform (NUP).
He narrates that he never thought that he would leave DP, a party he loved at heart. Kivumbi together with other 10 MPs from Uganda’s oldest political party crossed to NUP, a new party formed in 2020 headed by Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine, the 2021 presidential candidate.
Among the ten MPs included; Mukono Municipality MP Betty Nambooze, Busiro East MP Florence Namayanja, Bukomansimbi Woman MP Veronica Nanyondo, Kyotera Woman MP Robinah Ssentongo, Kalungu West MP Joseph Ssewungu Gonzaga, Masaka Municipality MP Ssempala Emmanuel Kigozi, Makindye Ssabagabo MP Allan Ssewanyana and Rubaga North’s Moses Kasibante.
Kivumbi said that although most people may see them as great enemies to DP, they took the decision to leave in tears because they never wanted to, but the internal wrangles within the party forced them.
“In my life, I cannot compare leaving DP with any decision I have ever made, this was too painful, to leave the only party I knew. However, I had to do it given the fact, DP president Norbert Mao had no any single respect for us, he has been abusing us any time he wants, but I think where he us, as an intelligent man due to this defection maybe he will change,”
He added that the factions Mao created in DP had no respect for lifetime members of the party but rather they had also learned to abuse their seniors.
“The seniority character that DP had and respect vanished begun to disrespect each other, this also caused fury among some members which led to chronicle hatred to members who differed from the ideas of those in leadership,” he added.
