Butambala court bars live-streaming of Muwanga Kivumbi trial
Muwanga Kivumbi is facing charges of incitement to violence and managing an unlawful society, offences he allegedly committed on July 9, 2026, while at his home in Bugoye, Gombe Town Council, Butambala district.
Wuwanga Kivumbi being escorted back to the court holding cell after the court session today at Butambala Chief Magistrate Court. (Credit: Simon Ssekidde)
BUTAMBALA - The Butambala Grade One Magistrate's Court has barred all media houses from live-streaming or recording the trial of former Butambala Constituency Member of Parliament and NUP deputy president for Buganda, Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi.
The order follows an application by the State prosecution, led by the assistant director of public prosecutions, asking the court to bar media houses from live-streaming proceedings in the Muwanga Kivumbi case.
On August 14, 2026, court set August 25, 2026, as the day it would deliver its ruling on the State's application after hearing submissions from both sides.
Muwanga Kivumbi is facing charges of incitement to violence and managing an unlawful society, offences he allegedly committed on July 9, 2026, while at his home in Bugoye, Gombe Town Council, Butambala district.
According to the charge sheet, Kivumbi is accused, together with other members who are still at large, of allegedly planning to organise and incite members of the public to rebel against the lawfully elected Government of Uganda, with the intent of overthrowing the Government.
While delivering the order barring journalists from live-streaming and audio-recording court proceedings in the case, Grade One Magistrate Aminah Wahab agreed with the applicants that live-streaming proceedings could affect the proceedings and the fairness of the trial.
"Court has put into consideration the submissions of both learned counsels, the law, and it hereby orders that the application succeeds. The hearing of both trial and applications shall remain open to the public and accredited journalists. Live video streaming from inside the courtroom is prohibited," Wahab said while delivering her ruling.
She added that fair, accurate and text-based reporting of proceedings is permitted, subject to the law on contempt and the rule of sub judice. Media attendance will also be subject to verification by the court administration.
The magistrate also directed all counsel, parties in the case, supporters and members of the public to refrain from commenting on the merits of the case before its conclusion.
Speaking after the court session, Samuel Muyizi Mulindwa, one of the lawyers for the accused, said it was wrong for the court to bar journalists from doing their job. He said they disagreed with the order passed by the magistrate and would challenge it in the higher courts of law.
"We are going to use lawful means to reject this order, we are going to look for means of reviewing this decision in higher courts because we think its setting a wrong pace and pattern, closing out the media is like closing out the public," Muyizi said, adding that they would also seek justice from the Uganda Law Society to check the presiding magistrate who gave such a decision that would also affect other lawyers.
Acting NUP president John Baptist Nambeshe said the prolonged detention of Muwanga Kivumbi and other political prisoners, as well as denying them their rights to bail, was deliberate and "very sickening", saying it was intended to punish him.
Nambeshe thanked the NUP legal team for the spirited fight they had put up in trying to secure the rights of the accused.
Joel Ssenyonyi, the Leader of Opposition in Parliament, said the ruling was very problematic to the administration of justice.
Muwanga was loaded into the waiting Prisons Service double-cabin vehicle amidst tight security and taken back to Kitalya Prison.