Defence, NUP Reject Court Gagging Orders in Kivumbi Case

What the report says

The defence team and the National Unity Platform have objected to restrictions placed on media coverage of the trial of former Butambala MP Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi and his co-accused in an inciting violence case. According to Nile Post, a Grade One Magistrate in Butambala ordered limits on courtroom reporting, prompting complaints that the measure goes beyond what the prosecution sought and interferes with the right to a public hearing.

Defence lawyer Samuel Muyizzi said the team believes the order is legally questionable and plans to challenge it through available court channels, including review by a higher court. He argued that excluding journalists and the public from the proceedings could undermine Article 28(8) of the Constitution, which protects a fair, speedy and public trial. He also pointed to an earlier case in Kawempe-Kanyanya as part of his concern about the precedent being set.

NUP leaders also criticized the ruling. Acting President John Baptist Nambeshe linked the dispute to what he called prolonged delays in Kivumbi’s case and said repeated postponements raise concerns about bail and pre-trial detention. Party spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi said barring journalists from using recording devices could make it harder to report accurately on the proceedings. He also said the party would continue raising wider concerns about the political context surrounding the case while respecting limits on commenting on the merits of an active trial.