Speaker Oboth directs security forces to allow family access to Muwanga Kivumbi

Speaker of Parliament Jacob Oboth-Oboth has directed government leaders to engage security agencies and ensure that the family of Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi gains access to him.

Oboth-Oboth issued the directive on Wednesday after Leader of the Opposition Joel Ssenyonyi raised concerns about the whereabouts of the former Butambala legislators

Nearly a week after Kivumbi was rearrested while traveling from his home to Kampala, his whereabouts remain unknown. 

“I am following up on a matter that I raised yesterday on Hon Muwanga Kivumbi, who was abducted. The law is clear on how an arrest should be done, and so this was an abduction,” Ssenyonyi said.

“Today is day six and we do not know his whereabouts.”

Ssenyonyi reminded Parliament that the deputy Leader of Government Business had promised to report on Kivumbi’s location.

Second Deputy Prime Minister Dr Crispus Kiyonga in response, said he had contacted the heads of security agencies after making the commitment.

“I did undertake that today, given an opportunity, I would respond. When I left here, I got in touch with our security chiefs, the heads of security agencies, and they have requested me to give them a little more time so that they can facilitate me with an appropriate report to give to Parliament,” Kiyonga said.

Ssenyonyi, however, questioned why security agencies needed more time to establish the location of a person in their custody.

“My concern is that I do not know why we need to give more time for continued violation of the law. Today is day six and his family does not know where he is,” he said.

Speaking on the matter, Kawempe North MP Luyimbazi Nalukoola claimed that security agencies sometimes delay producing suspects in court to allow them to recover from alleged mistreatment.

“In my experience as a legal practitioner, the state security agencies usually delay to produce people in such circumstances because those people who are held incommunicado are subjected to inhuman and degrading conditions,” Nalukoola said.

“They are tortured and they need time for those people to recover.”

Ssenyonyi then asked Parliament to secure access for Kivumbi’s family, doctors and lawyers while waiting for the government report.

“We can wait for the report and we hope that it will come; but can I request that the family of the Hon Muwanga Kivumbi, his doctors and lawyers are allowed access to him as we wait for the report?” he asked.

Oboth-Oboth in his ruling, described the matter as serious and directed government and opposition leaders to work together.

“I would direct that the two leaders — the Prime Minister and Government Chief Whip — and the opposition side harmonise and make sure that the family has access to the Honourable Kivumbi,” he said.

Security operatives rearrested Kivumbi at a roadblock in Mpigi District on July 10, 2026, hours after he left prison on bail.

The International Crimes Division of the High Court had granted him Shs10 million cash bail after he spent 169 days on remand. Sixteen co-accused were each granted Shs1 million bail.

Kivumbi and his co-accused face terrorism-related charges arising from violence reported in Butambala during the January 2026 general election period.

Prosecutors allege that they committed acts intended to intimidate the government for political purposes between January 11 and January 17, 2026.

Kivumbi denies the charges.