Muwanga Kivumbi Dumped at Nateete Police Station

Last week, the High Court declined to immediately issue the writ, with Justice Collins Acellam ruling that Kivumbi’s whereabouts remained unknown and police had denied holding him.

Muwanga Kivumbi

National Unity Platform (NUP) Deputy President Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi resurfaced at Nateete Police Station on Wednesday morning after more than two weeks in incommunicado detention following his re-arrest by unidentified security operatives.

Officials said Kivumbi was dropped at the police station by unknown state operatives.

ChimpReports could not independently verify the circumstances of his release or whether he will be arraigned in court.

The former Butambala County MP disappeared on July 9, shortly after securing bail from the International Crimes Division of the High Court on terrorism charges.

Kivumbi had earlier addressed a charged crowd at his home, saying he intended to declare a fresh war against President Museveni’s government.

His detention prompted his lawyers to file a habeas corpus application against the Chief of Defence Forces, the Inspector General of Police and the Attorney General, seeking orders compelling the state to produce him or disclose his whereabouts.

Last week, the High Court declined to immediately issue the writ, with Justice Collins Acellam ruling that Kivumbi’s whereabouts remained unknown and police had denied holding him.

Instead, the court directed the respondents to investigate his whereabouts and report back within seven days.

In an affidavit, ACP Godwin Tumugumye, on behalf of the Inspector General of Police, acknowledged that Kivumbi’s vehicle had been stopped at a police checkpoint but maintained that he “was not arrested, abducted or detained by the Uganda Police Force.”

Kivumbi’s reappearance just days after the ruling is likely to intensify questions over who held the opposition leader during the two weeks he remained out of public view.

Neither the police nor the Uganda People’s Defence Forces had immediately commented on his reappearance.