Election Violence in Uganda: Opponent of Museveni Arrested

Fri Jan 23 2026 11:23:34 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Muwanga Kivumbi, a Ugandan MP and ally of the opposition leader Bobi Wine, has been arrested over alleged involvement in post-election violence, raising concerns over the political situation in Uganda following President Museveni's contentious re-election.

Muwanga Kivumbi, deputy leader of Bobi Wine's National Unity Platform, was detained by Ugandan police following accusations of organizing violent attacks linked to last week's elections. The arrest is part of ongoing tensions after President Yoweri Museveni's re-election for a seventh term amid allegations of electoral fraud and violence. Reports indicate a significant number of casualties and arrests related to election unrest.

Ugandan police have detained a lawmaker, and close ally of opposition leader Bobi Wine, for his alleged role in election-related violence last week.

Muwanga Kivumbi, a deputy leader of Wine's National Unity Platform (NUP), is accused of organising attacks on a police station and a vote-tallying centre after their electoral loss, which the party denies.

The police have said that seven people were killed in the incident, but the politician has given a different account, saying that 10 people were killed at his home as they waited for parliamentary election results.

The Uganda Police Force stated that Kivumbi would be arraigned before court in due course.

His arrest is linked to recent incidents of political violence. This follows tensions after last week's elections in which President Yoweri Museveni was re-elected for a seventh term.

During his victory speech, Museveni cautioned opposition figures, including Kivumbi, of coordinated plans to attack polling stations.

He reported that seven people were shot dead by police following violent attacks allegedly initiated by opposition supporters in Butambala district, just outside Kampala.

Bobi Wine, Museveni's closest challenger, who has been in hiding after a raid on his house following the elections, has denounced the results as fake, claiming electoral fraud and a silent massacre among opposition supporters.

On social media, Wine alleged that over 100 people had died in election-related violence, with accusations of targeted crackdowns on political activists.

Since the election, numerous youths have been arrested in Kampala on charges related to election disturbances. Museveni, who has been in power since 1986, is set to serve a total of 45 years when his current term ends in 2031, continuing a trend of no peaceful transition of power in Uganda.