The Sam Mugumya arrest has injected fresh tension into the heated Rukungiri Municipality parliamentary race. The opposition activist, contesting under the People’s Front for Freedom (PFF) banner, was detained by a mix of military and plain-clothed operatives while having breakfast at a hotel in Mbarara, according to the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
FDC official Moses Byamugisha confirmed the incident, stating that Mugumya was “picked up by uniformed military personnel and others in plain clothes moving in a drone” and is expected to be transferred to a Kampala detention center. Security agencies have not yet issued a statement.
Mugumya’s arrest comes as he attempts to reassert his political influence in Rukungiri after nearly a decade of turbulence. Arrested in the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2014, he spent over eight years in detention on allegations of plotting rebellion before being released in 2022. Since then, he has re-emerged on Uganda’s political scene, now vying against retired Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, the ruling NRM candidate, in what has become one of the most closely watched contests of 2025.
A former Makerere University student activist and close aide to veteran opposition leader Dr. Kizza Besigye, Mugumya first rose to prominence during the 2011 “Walk to Work” protests. His political comeback has energized local politics, with analysts suggesting his candidacy could fracture opposition unity while simultaneously reshaping electoral dynamics in the region.
Lt Gen Tumukunde, a seasoned military officer and former presidential candidate, brings deep security credentials and strong ties to the ruling party, setting the stage for a fierce showdown.
The Sam Mugumya arrest underscores the fraught environment ahead of Uganda’s 2026 elections, as security, opposition mobilization, and ruling party dominance collide in key constituencies like Rukungiri.
