Opposition’s Sam Mugumya Arrested amid Tense Rukungiri MP Contest

Sam Mugumya, a prominent opposition activist contesting the Rukungiri Municipality parliamentary seat, has been arrested, the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) said. He was taken into custody by military and plain-clothed personnel.

FDC official Moses Byamugisha said Mugumya Sam was arrested while having breakfast at NIM Hotel in Nyamitanga, Mbarara cityby uniformed military personnel and others in plain clothes while moving in a drone.

Mugumya’s arrest comes as he seeks to reclaim influence in his native Rukungiri after years in exile and detention. He is vying for the Rukungiri Municipality seat, a race that pits him against retired Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate.

Mugumya’s contentious history includes over eight years of detention in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) following his arrest in October 2014. He was accused of plotting rebellion against the Ugandan government but was never formally tried; he was eventually released in October 2022.

A former student activist at Makerere University, Mugumya rose to prominence as a youth leader in the FDC and a close aide to veteran opposition figure Dr Kizza Besigye. He played a high-profile role in the 2011 “Walk to Work” protests.

Since his return, Mugumya has sought the nomination of the nascent People’s Front for Freedom (PFF), joining a fray that includes Ingrid Turinawe and former MP Roland Mugume Kaginda. He is now positioned to face Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde, a formidable opponent who secured the NRM primary ticket for Rukungiri Municipality, defeating incumbent MP Dr Elisa Rutahirwa.

Tumukunde is a seasoned politician and retired military officer with deep roots in Rukungiri. A former presidential candidate (2021), he has held senior positions in Uganda’s defence and security sectors, including serving as Minister of National Security and head of military intelligence.

Mugumya’s emergence in the race has electrified local politics, injecting high drama into what was expected to be a predictable contest. Analysts say his return could fracture the PFF’s stronghold and reshape electoral alignments in the region.

Uganda’s security forces did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Mugumya’s arrest.