A fresh storm has erupted in Uganda’s political landscape after National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, popularly known as Bobi Wine, alleged that the party’s Deputy President for Buganda, Muwanga Kivumbi, was brutally tortured while in military custody and is now being concealed from the public.Kyagulanyi said the opposition party had received disturbing information suggesting that Kivumbi was subjected to severe torture at Kasenyi Special Forces Command (SFC) military barracks. He claimed the legislator is currently being kept out of public sight as he undergoes treatment.
The NUP leader expressed concern over what he described as the continued disappearance of one of the party’s top officials, noting that more than a week has passed since Kivumbi was reportedly rearrested shortly after securing release on bail.According to Kyagulanyi, the reports surrounding Kivumbi’s alleged torture cannot be taken lightly because several opposition figures have previously claimed to have endured similar experiences while in the hands of security agencies.He argued that in some cases, detainees were allegedly hidden from the public until visible injuries healed, making it difficult for the public to establish the extent of the alleged abuse.Kyagulanyi further accused authorities of failing to account for Kivumbi’s whereabouts, saying neither the Uganda Police Force nor the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) had provided information about where the opposition leader is being held.
The uncertainty surrounding Kivumbi’s location has triggered growing concern among NUP supporters, family members and human rights activists, many of whom are demanding that authorities reveal his whereabouts and allow access to lawyers and relatives.As questions continue to mount, security agencies had not publicly responded to the allegations by the time of reporting. The claims of torture, secret detention and ongoing medical treatment remain unverified, but they have intensified pressure on authorities to clarify Kivumbi’s status and condition.
