In an incident that has ignited fierce condemnation from the opposition, musician and National Unity Platform (NUP) stalwart Buken Ali, popularly known as Nubian Li, was arrested by police on Tuesday just minutes after being officially nominated to run for Nakawa Division Mayor.
The arrest occurred outside the Electoral Commission offices in Ntinda, where witnesses and party officials state Nubian Li was forcefully pushed into a police truck and driven to an undisclosed location.
The move has been decried by the NUP as a blatant act of political repression. Party Spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi stated, “The fear of the regime is evident. Let’s press on,” framing the arrest as a sign of government intimidation.
This event is not isolated. It follows the arrest earlier the same day of another high-profile NUP figure, Deputy Spokesperson Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro. The party leadership asserts these are coordinated tactics to cripple their organization ahead of the 2026 general elections.
NUP Secretary General David Lewis Rubongoya took to social media, calling the incident part of a “latest wave of arrests and abductions,” and decrying the “impunity” of the actions.
The party reports that its members are increasingly being linked by authorities to alleged “unlawful military drills,” a claim NUP vehemently denies as a fabricated pretext for a political crackdown.
As of now, the Uganda Police Force has not issued any official statement regarding the reasons for the arrests of Nubian Li or Mufumbiro. The silence from authorities has only intensified concerns about due process and the rule of law.
The arrests have cast a pall over the NUP’s campaign efforts, with party sources confirming widespread fear among candidates and leaders that they could be targeted next.