The National Unity Platform (NUP) party Vice President for Buganda and former Member of Parliament for Butambala district, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi has been granted bail by the International Crimes Division (ICD) court in Nakasero, Kampala on July 9th, 2026.
While appearing before the ICD court registrar Her Worship Juliet Hatanga, Kivumbi and the 22 co-accused were shortly briefed about the 72 pages’ court ruling from the bail application of the 23 applicants.
“From the bail application, applicant 1 Muwanga Kivumbi and 16 others have been granted bail Kivumbi has to pay a cash bail of 10 million Ugx and the 16 co-accused cash bail of 1 million Ugx, the other 6 applicants have been denied bail due to issues with their sureties” Hatanga said.
Hatanga further explained the conditions under which bail was granted but however added that there are some restrictions for those who have been granted bail.
“The court found that all applicants had physical places of aboard as confirmed by LCI chairpersons. The sureties have close relationship with the accused and moral authority, each applicant shall continue with the given dates for the Butambala magistrates court and also not allowed to leave the country and will be reporting to the registrar at the international crimes division every last Friday of the month, Hatanga added.
The National Unity Platform Secretary General, David Lewis Rubongoya said that, as NUP they are happy with court’s decision though it has been long overdue.
“For the last six months we have been trying to secure bail for our vice president and his co-accused but all in vain, apparently the people responsible for the murders in Butambala are walking free while the innocent ones have been in prison for half year, though its sad we are happy as a party and we thank the judge who came up with the decision to grant our people bail, for those who were denied bail we shall push and make sure the next hearing they have better sureties and are set free,” Rubongoya said.
Kivumbi and 24 others were arrested between January 15th and 21st, 2026, after the January 15th, 2026 general elections and were remanded at Kitalya prison on charges of terrorism after being accused of attacking a police station in Kibibi town council, damaged several motorcades in Butambala district and also attacked the offices of Butambala district Electoral Commission on the eve of January 2026 general elections.
Out of the 25 arrested, two were granted bail earlier in Butambala Magistrates court because they were minors, 17 have been granted bail on July, 9th, 2026, and six have been denied bail and ordered to come back to court on July 13th, 2026, for their bail hearing.
