The Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) has formally denied holding former Butambala County MP and National Unity Platform (NUP) deputy president for Buganda, Muwanga Kivumbi, 19 days after heavily armed personnel seized at a Police roadblock mounted adjacent to Mpigi central Police Station.
The UPDF director of civil affairs at the Ministry of Defence and Veteran Affairs, Lt Col Edgar Musasizi, in an affidavit dated July 24th 2026, on behalf of the Chief of Defence Forces, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, admitted that he was aware Muwanga Kivumbi was granted bail by the High Court but denied that UPDF officers abducted Kivumbi.
“The deponent has not disclosed the basis upon which he concluded that the persons allegedly involved were officers of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces, nor has he exhibited any material linking the Respondents to the alleged incident” he said.
Musasizi noted that he had visited all gazetted UPDF detention facilities for Kivumbi but couldn’t locate him at any of the forces facilities.
“I have personally cross checked with all gazetted detention facilities under the control of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces and I confirm that the Applicant is not and has never been in the custody of the Uganda People’s Defence Forces at any material time” he said.
Musazizi further noted that Kivumbi’s lawyers didn’t provide any proof that the UPDF had him in their custody.
Muwanga’s seizure by heavily armed plain clothed men was recorded at the roadblock manned by four police officers in khaki uniform and two traffic officers.
Days after his disappearance, his lawyers petitioned the High Court seeking a writ of habeas corpus, asking the court to compel security agencies to produce him.
Recently the police also denied holding Kivumbi in an affidavit sworn by ACP Tumugumye Godwin on behalf of the Inspector General Of Police (IGP) before the Civil Division of the High Court, dated 20th July 2026.
Kivumbi was intercepted near Mpigi Police Station while travelling to Kampala from Butambala hours after he had been granted bail by the International Crimes Division of the High Court on terrorism charges.
In the seizure video that went viral online, a police patrol vehicle is seen blocking Kivumbi’s vehicle while a white Toyota Hiace commonly known as a drone waits a short distance away.
A masked Superintendent of Police apparently coordinating the operation is seen speaking on a phone or radio before directing plain-clothed operatives to remove Kivumbi from his vehicle just metres from Mpigi Police Station.
