Concern is mounting over the whereabouts of Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, as Uganda’s opposition intensifies pressure on authorities following his reported abduction.
In a statement, David Rubongoya, Secretary General of the National Unity Platform (NUP), said the party fears Kivumbi could join a growing list of opposition figures who have disappeared under unclear circumstances.
“Day 8! One can hope against hope that Hon. Muwanga Kivumbi hasn’t joined the likes of Sam Mugumya, Christopher Gody aka King Zale and Baliza William who have now been missing for months,” Rubongoya said.
He further referenced long-term missing individuals, including John Ddamulira and Kibalama Johnbosco, warning of a troubling pattern.
Kivumbi, a senior NUP official and former Member of Parliament for Butambala County, was reportedly seized by armed operatives on July 10, a day after securing bail from court on terrorism-related charges.
According to his lawyers and party officials, he was intercepted in Mpigi District by men travelling in an unmarked van, commonly referred to as a “drone,” and taken to an unknown location.
Eight days later, his family and legal team say they have received no official communication regarding his detention or whereabouts.
Rubongoya questioned how a high-profile political leader could be taken in broad daylight and held incommunicado without accountability.
“How a Deputy President of a political party and immediate former MP can be abducted in broad daylight and held incommunicado for all this time is beyond baffling,” he said.
The NUP has linked Kivumbi’s case to that of Sam Mugumya, who was reportedly abducted in Mbarara in 2025 and remains unaccounted for.
The party also cited the alleged disappearances of Christopher Gody, also known as King Zale, and Baliza William, whose cases have been raised by activists but remain sparsely documented in official records.
Authorities have yet to provide a clear explanation regarding Kivumbi’s rearrest or confirm which agency is holding him.
The silence has drawn criticism from opposition leaders and rights advocates, who argue that such incidents undermine the rule of law and due process.
The matter has since reached Parliament, where legislators are demanding a formal government statement.
Kivumbi’s disappearance comes amid heightened political tensions, with opposition groups accusing security agencies of targeting dissenting voices. As calls for accountability grow louder, his case is emerging as a focal point in Uganda’s ongoing debate over civil liberties and state power.