Abduction at a Police Roadblock on July 10
On July 10, armed soldiers dragged Kivumbi from his car at a police roadblock on the outskirts of Kampala and drove him to an unknown destination, according to court records. The abduction occurred just one day after a court granted Kivumbi bail on politically related terrorism charges. Because state agents are holding him outside the legal framework, his family and legal team report that his safety remains in immediate jeopardy. Under international law, an enforced disappearance occurs when state authorities detain an individual and refuse to acknowledge the detention or disclose their whereabouts, placing them beyond the protection of the law.
Legal Proceedings and Habeas Corpus Ruling
Kivumbi’s family filed a habeas corpus application seeking his immediate release, but a presiding judge declined the request, ordering the government instead to conclude its investigations and submit a response within one week, according to court records. During the court proceedings, representatives for the Uganda Police Force denied that they were holding Kivumbi in custody. Ugandan security agencies regularly re-arrest people shortly after courts have granted them bail or acquitted them on politically related charges.
Prior Detention and Opposition Crackdown
Prior to his recent abduction, Kivumbi had been detained in prison since January 22, according to court documents. Authorities originally arrested him alongside two other National Unity Platform deputy presidents, Jolly Jackline Tukamushaba and Lina Zedriga Waru, following the January 14 general elections. While authorities released Tukamushaba and Waru after holding them incommunicado for several days, they charged Kivumbi with terrorism. Prosecutors alleged that Kivumbi orchestrated and executed a violent attack on a police station and a polling station, an accusation that Kivumbi has consistently denied. He was remanded to prison until the court granted him bail on July 9, immediately preceding his current disappearance.