Govt to account for Kivumbi’s reported rearrest, Dr Kiyonga tells Parliament
Ssenyonyi asked Parliament to demand an explanation from the government on where Kivumbi is being held and under what legal authority he was taken into custody after being released on bail.
According to Ssenyonyi, Kivumbi was intercepted by security operatives in Mpigi shortly after his release while travelling from Butambala district to Kampala and has not been seen publicly since. (New Vision/Files)
KAMPALA - Government is set to present a statement to Parliament on Wednesday explaining the reported rearrest and whereabouts of National Unity Platform (NUP) vice president for Buganda, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, Second Deputy Prime Minister Dr Crispus Kiyonga said.
Kiyonga made the commitment during plenary on July 14, 2026, in response to concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi over Kivumbi’s reported disappearance shortly after he was granted bail last week.
Ssenyonyi told the House that Kivumbi’s family, lawyers and political colleagues had been unable to establish his whereabouts for the past four days, raising concerns about his safety and legal status.
"We shall return tomorrow (Wednesday) with a government statement on the matter," Kiyonga told Parliament.
Kivumbi was granted bail by the International Crimes Division of the High Court after spending nearly six months on remand at Kitalya Prison on terrorism-related charges alongside 16 co-accused persons. He denies the charges.
According to Ssenyonyi, Kivumbi was intercepted by security operatives in Mpigi shortly after his release while travelling from Butambala district to Kampala and has not been seen publicly since.
Parliament demands answers
Addressing the House, Ssenyonyi questioned the circumstances surrounding the reported rearrest, arguing that if authorities had concerns about statements allegedly made by Kivumbi after his release, the matter should be handled through established legal procedures.
"Government officials, the police and security agencies have been saying, 'If you catch someone doing something wrong, take them to the police.' If we agree on that, why doesn't the government do exactly that?"
He argued that determining whether a public address violates the law is the responsibility of courts, not security agencies, and that detaining a person without disclosing their whereabouts raises serious constitutional and legal concerns.
Ssenyonyi asked Parliament to demand an explanation from the government on where Kivumbi is being held and under what legal authority he was taken into custody after being released on bail.
Kivumbi was arrested in January and charged with terrorism-related offences arising from alleged incidents of violence in Butambala district.
Attorney General Sam Mayanja told Parliament that Kivumbi’s right to liberty is guaranteed under the Constitution. He said any person who is arrested must be informed of the reasons for their arrest and detained only in gazetted places of detention as required by law.
Lawyers petition court
Meanwhile, lawyers representing Kivumbi have petitioned the High Court seeking a writ of habeas corpus, asking the court to compel security agencies to produce him and explain the legal basis for his continued detention.
According to the application, Kivumbi was granted bail on July 9 before travelling to his ancestral home in Butambala district, where he spent the night.
The application, filed on July 14, 2026, through the Judiciary’s digital filing system by Lukwago and Company Advocates, Alaka and Company Advocates, and Mukiibi and Kyeyune Advocates, states that Kivumbi was arrested on July 10 while travelling back to Kampala.
His lawyers allege that he was intercepted at a police checkpoint near Mpigi Police Station by Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) officers and plain-clothed military personnel before being taken to an undisclosed location.
They argue that Kivumbi is a civilian and that his alleged arrest and continued detention by the military are unconstitutional.
The lawyers further contend that his whereabouts remain unknown and that he has been denied access to his family, lawyers and personal physician.
The application states that he has been detained beyond the constitutional 48-hour limit without being produced before a competent court.
The lawyers are asking the High Court to issue a writ of habeas corpus directing the respondents to produce Kivumbi before court and order his immediate release if no lawful grounds exist for his detention.
They also seek a declaration that his alleged incommunicado detention violates his constitutional rights and request that the respondents bear the costs of the application.
The petition comes amid growing concern over Kivumbi’s reported disappearance following his alleged rearrest after being released on bail.