BREAKING: MP Kivumbi Remanded as State Expands Terrorism Case, Defense Alleges Coercion
Butambala County MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi was on Monday, February 3, 2026, remanded back to Kitalya Prison after a court session that saw terrorism charges against him significantly expanded and his bail application stalled amid dramatic claims by his legal team.
The Butambala Chief Magistrate’s Court heard that the state has amended its charges, adding 24 new suspects to the case against the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) official. Prosecutors requested and were granted an adjournment until February 17, 2026, to allow for further investigations into the widened case.
The state alleges that Kivumbi participated in violent acts during the recent election period, leading to seven deaths—actions they argue qualify as terrorism. The new list of co-accused includes individuals such as Buruhan Matovu, Akram Bukenya Tumusiime, and Hanifa Nakibuuka, among others.
However, the bail hearing for Kivumbi and the others was abruptly halted. The defense team, led by Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago and MPs Medard Lubega Sseggona and Asuman Basalirwa, strongly objected to the state’s last-minute amendment of the charge sheet, calling it an “ambush” that prejudiced their clients’ rights.
The legal team raised further serious concerns, alleging that Kivumbi was forced to alter a police statement. They told the court that while recording a statement at Kiira Police Station, officers refused to proceed unless Kivumbi omitted his account that police and military personnel had killed 10 people at his residence.
“The officer insisted that the statement could only continue if all references to the alleged cold-blooded killings were omitted,” the defense stated, arguing this rendered the process involuntary and compromised.
Following the prosecution’s procedural move regarding the charges, the court adjourned the bail application. It ordered that Kivumbi and the 24 male accused be remanded to Kitalya Prison, while any female suspects be taken to Luzira Women’s Prison.
Security was exceptionally tight at the court premises, with the MP arriving under heavy police and prison guard escort. The case continues to draw significant attention amid a tense political climate following the January general elections.
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