National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, has condemned the reported abduction of his deputy for Buganda Region, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, describing it as a deliberate attempt to intimidate opposition supporters.
In a statement issued on Friday, July 10, Bobi Wine said Kivumbi was violently taken by security operatives shortly after his release on bail on Thursday, raising fresh concerns over the conduct of state agencies and respect for court decisions.
“I’ve just been informed of the violent abduction of my Deputy President for Buganda Region, Hon. Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, shortly after he was released on bail yesterday,” Bobi Wine said.
“The criminal regime is doing all this to instil fear within the population, but these tactics have been employed by despots all over the world and throughout history. They never win in the end! Uganda will be free.”
Kivumbi had been granted bail by the International Crimes Division of the High Court after spending several months on remand over terrorism-related charges linked to alleged post-election violence earlier this year.
His release had been seen by supporters as a significant legal breakthrough.
However, reports emerging on Friday indicate that he was re-arrested or abducted just hours after regaining his freedom.
The circumstances of the incident remain unclear, with authorities yet to provide an official explanation regarding the operation or Kivumbi’s current whereabouts.
The development has triggered renewed political tension, with opposition figures accusing the government of undermining judicial processes and targeting dissenting voices.
NUP leaders argue that the re-arrest raises serious questions about the rule of law and the independence of the courts.