The High Court has ordered security agencies to establish the whereabouts of National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy president for Buganda, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, after nearly two weeks of uncertainty over his disappearance.
Justice Collins Acellam directed security agencies to investigate Kivumbi’s whereabouts and file a detailed report within seven days. The order followed a habeas corpus application filed by Kivumbi’s lawyers, who want whoever is holding him to produce him before court and explain the legal basis of his detention.
According to the application, Kivumbi disappeared on July 10 after being granted bail in a treason-related case. His lawyers allege that armed men intercepted him in Mpigi District and took him away without identifying themselves or presenting an arrest warrant.
During the hearing, government lawyers said the Uganda Police Force was not holding Kivumbi. An affidavit by Assistant Commissioner of Police Godwin Tumugumye also stated that he was not in police custody.
Justice Acellam said the court could not immediately issue a habeas corpus order because it had not yet established which authority was detaining Kivumbi. However, he warned that the matter could not remain unresolved and ordered security agencies to account for his whereabouts before the case returns to court on July 29, 2026.
Kivumbi’s disappearance has sparked widespread concern, with NUP president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, accusing security agencies of targeting opposition leaders. While reports of alleged mistreatment have circulated, they have not been confirmed by authorities, who insist investigations are ongoing.
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