Muwanga Kivumbi Confirms Mabonga Leaks — What Now, Museveni?

The controversy surrounding Lt. Herbert Matanda Mabonga’s leaked videos, photographs, and documents has taken a new turn after NUP Deputy President Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi confirmed that the material is authentic. Mabonga secretly recorded footage and documented events during a period when Kivumbi was detained. Among the material is a letter in which Mabonga reached out to Kivumbi, offering words of encouragement and urging him not to lose hope while he was being held at a torture facility in Entebbe. When the material first emerged, military acting spokesperson Chris Magezi dismissed it as a collection of “rubbish,” concoctions, and lies. Now, the confirmation from Kivumbi—someone who appears in the leaked footage—raises serious questions that cannot simply be brushed aside. Now the public deserves answers. Where was the footage recorded? What do the documents establish? Who was responsible for the alleged abuses, and will there be an independent investigation? This is no longer just a dispute between a military officer and the institution he served. It is a matter of public accountability, the treatment of detainees, and the obligation of authorities to investigate credible allegations of torture. The military dismissed the material. Kivumbi has confirmed its authenticity. The next step should be a transparent examination of the evidence and clear answers from those with the power to investigate. The central question is simple: will the authorities address the allegations with evidence and accountability, or continue to dismiss them without resolving the questions they raise?