The National Unity Platform (NUP) Party Vice President and outgoing Member of Parliament for Butambala County, Muwanga Kivumbi, has urged Ugandans committed to change to continue the struggle for liberation, even as some party leaders remain behind bars.

According to NUP lawyer Samuel Muyizzi, who visited Kivumbi at Kitalya Prison in Mityana District on January 28th, 2026, the detained lawmaker expressed resilience and asked Ugandans to keep pushing for a better future.

“We had gone to receive instructions from Hon. Kivumbi on how to proceed with his case, but he told us that he is not surprised by his detention,” Muyizzi said.

“He urged all of us to play our roles; the lawyers, the regime change agents because this struggle is not just about law or politics; it requires everyone to join forces in the fight against the dictatorship,” the NUP lawyer added.

Muyizzi also revealed that the NUP leadership has formed a robust legal team to advocate for Kivumbi, other top NUP leaders, and political prisoners predominantly aligned with the party.

“We have a very formidable team that will fight for him and all other party leaders who were arrested, and continue to represent other political prisoners,” Muyizzi stated.

NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya said the leadership also visited other political detainees during the prison trip, encouraging them to remain strong.

“We met comrades who have been detained for over five years, including members of the Machete Group. They remain resilient despite ongoing persecution, and we are actively pursuing legal channels to secure justice for them,” Rubongoya noted.

The NUP top leadership including Lina Zedriga, Vice President for Northern Uganda; Jackline Jolly Tukamusaba of Western Uganda; and Muwanga Kivumbi of Buganda were all arrested during the January 15, 2026 general elections.

Meanwhile, the whereabouts of party president Robert Kyagulanyi remain unknown, as he is reportedly in hiding from security forces seeking to detain him.

In recent days, heavy security was deployed around Kyagulanyi’s residence, including one forced entry, during which only his wife, Barbie Kyagulanyi Itungo, was present.

Observers suggest that the arrests may be linked to NUP’s ‘protest vote’ campaign, where leaders encouraged citizens to demand fair election results, which authorities interpreted as incitement to unrest.

Despite the arrests and ongoing legal battles, the NUP leadership insists that the struggle for a more democratic Uganda must continue.