The outgoing Member of Parliament for Butambala County, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, has been arrested by police in relation to suspected political violence that occurred during the January 15, 2026 general elections in Butambala District.
According to a police statement released on January 22, 2026, the legislator is being held in custody and is expected to appear in court soon.
The announcement, issued by Katonga Region Police spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe, linked the detention to “recent episodes of political violence in Butambala.”
In his acceptance speech last Sunday following his re-election victory, President Museveni alleged that Mr. Kivumbi had mobilized supporters who assaulted police personnel and Electoral Commission staff amid the voting process.
Authorities indicated that these claimed events interrupted polling operations in certain areas of the constituency, necessitating a response from security forces.
Investigators are additionally looking into a distinct, more grave occurrence at the MP’s home on election day, where gunfire reportedly erupted and caused at least one death.
Police have withheld specifics about the shooting’s context or any confirmed connection to the broader election unrest.
Mr. Kivumbi, however, has asserted that his residence came under heavy gunfire, positioning him as the intended target, and that several of his backers were fatally shot.
The January 15 elections in Butambala—along with various other tense locations nationwide—saw significant security reinforcements due to reported supporter clashes between opposing candidates, claims of voter suppression, and encounters involving civilians and law enforcement.
Mr. Kivumbi was defeated in his bid for re-election by Eriasa Mukiibi Sserunjogi, a former Sunday Monitor editor who ran as an independent.
Police emphasized that probes remain active, with the possibility of additional arrests, and called on political figures and their followers to exercise restraint while pursuing any election grievances through proper legal avenues.
