Ugandan police have detained a lawmaker, Muwanga Kivumbi, a close ally of opposition leader Bobi Wine, over allegations of his involvement in election-related violence that occurred last week. Kivumbi, who serves as a deputy leader of the National Unity Platform (NUP), is accused of orchestrating attacks on a police station and a vote-tallying center following the electoral loss, which his party vehemently denies.
Reports from the police indicate that at least seven individuals died during these incidents; however, Kivumbi contests this assertion, claiming that ten people were actually killed at his home while they awaited parliamentary election results. The Uganda Police Force has stated that Kivumbi would be “arraigned before court in due course” and his arrest comes amid a backdrop of political violence following the elections.
The political landscape remains tense as President Yoweri Museveni was re-elected for a seventh term, with allegations of electoral fraud being a major talking point. During his victory speech, Museveni warned about alleged coordinated attempts by opposition figures, including Kivumbi, to incite violence at polling stations. The situation escalated further when Museveni claimed that police shot dead seven people as opposition supporters engaged in violent actions armed with machetes.
In contrast, Bobi Wine, Museveni's chief challenger who is currently in hiding, has expressed that the election results were fraudulent, describing the conflict that followed as a “silent massacre” aimed at suppressing political activists. He estimates that over 100 fatalities occurred related to the election, a claim he supports with no evidence, despite military figures stating that 22 opposition supporters were exacerbated in election-related violence. The aftermath has seen numerous youth reportedly arrested under various charges in connection to these events in Kampala.
Museveni's leadership has remained unchallenged since he took power in 1986, and this recent episode raises questions about the future of democracy in Uganda as the country approaches another contentious political cycle.
