The Butambala Chief Magistrate’s Court, presided over by Chief Magistrate Aminah Wahab, has heard arguments on a prosecution application seeking to regulate media coverage of proceedings involving former Butambala County Member of Parliament Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi.
Kivumbi is facing charges of inciting violence among the public and managing an unlawful society in Bugoye Village, Gombe Ward, Gombe Town Council, Butambala District.
The alleged offences are said to have been committed on 9 July 2026, following his release on a 10-million-shilling cash bail by the International Crimes Division of the High Court in Kampala.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Kivumbi’s defence lawyer, Medard Sseggona, opposed the prosecution’s application, arguing that Article 28(1) of the Constitution guarantees an accused person a fair, speedy and public hearing.
Sseggona told court that public hearings are an important component of a fair trial and that any restriction on public access, including media coverage, must be constitutionally justified.
The court has adjourned the matter to 25 August 2026, when Chief Magistrate Wahab is expected to deliver a ruling on the prosecution’s application seeking to bar live streaming of the proceedings.
The court is also expected to consider Kivumbi’s bail application on the same day.
Muwanga Kivumbi remains on remand at Kitalya Prison.
By Edith Namanje
14th Aug 2026
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