Police in Uganda have arrested 20 suspected National Unity Platform (NUP) supporters following an alleged attack on Kibuku County MP Herbert Kinobere and other mourners during the burial of former Busiro South MP Charles Matovu. The incident reportedly disrupted a funeral that had brought together people from different political backgrounds to pay their last respects to the deceased legislator.

The incident occurred on Sunday, October 25, 2026, at Kungu-Lutale along Nakawuka Road in Wakiso District, where hundreds of mourners had gathered for Matovu’s burial. According to police, tensions arose when some individuals allegedly objected to the presence of mourners they identified as supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke said the suspected NUP activists allegedly targeted Kinobere and other mourners, accusing them of attending the burial despite their political affiliation. The confrontation reportedly escalated into violence, leaving some people caught up in the incident.

According to Rusoke, the attackers allegedly deflated Kinobere’s vehicle tyres and pelted stones at several mourners whose presence they opposed. The allegations have raised concerns about the treatment of people attending public gatherings, particularly funerals, where families and friends should be able to come together without political intimidation.

Police said officers intervened to control the situation and protect people at the scene. Twenty suspects were arrested in connection with the alleged attack and remained in police custody pending further legal proceedings. Rusoke said those arrested would be taken to court and dealt with according to the law.

The police spokesperson condemned the reported violence and urged Ugandans to respect mourners regardless of their political affiliations. He emphasised that disagreements between political groups should not be allowed to interfere with the right of people to mourn, comfort grieving families and honour the deceased.

Rusoke also reminded the public that people often maintain friendships, family ties and professional relationships across political divisions. He noted that a person attending a funeral may be a relative, former schoolmate, workmate or personal friend of the deceased, even when they belong to a different political party. Matovu’s burial, he suggested, should have remained an occasion for mourning rather than confrontation.

Matovu, 41, died on October 22, 2026, at Mulago National Referral Hospital following a sudden illness. He represented Busiro South on the NUP ticket during the 11th Parliament from 2021 to 2026. He lost his re-election bid in January 2026 to NRM candidate Kenan Opio but had challenged the results in the High Court in Entebbe. As investigations into the burial incident continue, the arrests have renewed calls for political tolerance and respect for the dead and their grieving families.