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Police in Kampala have arrested Kampala Woman MP Shamim Malende, following her emotionally charged return to Uganda on Monday.
The legislator has been undergoing intensive medical treatment in Nairobi over the past three months.
She was rounded up in downtown Kampala, where she had a procession from Entebbe Airport.
She was reportedly detained at Katwe Police Station
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At Entebbe Airport, she was met with an ecstatic reception, as scores of jubilant supporters gathered to welcome their legislator home.
Before joining her supporters for a grand procession to Kampala, Malende addressed the press, expressing gratitude and relief after her prolonged absence.
Shamim Malende
A Grateful Reflection on Survival
She said she was thankful to God for her safe return, acknowledging the fragility of life and the unfortunate fates of others who faced similar health battles abroad.
“There are so many people who fell sick like I did, but never made it back," she stated.
Malende particularly cited the late Counsel Anthony Wameli, a colleague from her legal practice and a prominent lawyer for the National Unity Platform (NUP), who succumbed to abdominal cancer while seeking treatment abroad in February 2023.
She also remembered Hon. Muhammad Ssegirinya, the former Kawempe North MP, who passed away in January 2025 after a prolonged illness that saw him in and out of hospitals both locally and abroad.
"Hon Muhammad Ssegerinya left us in the same fashion. That is why I feel blessed to be back home," Malende remarked
Solidarity with Ailing Comrades Abroad
Malende's thoughts also extended to other NUP colleagues still undergoing treatment outside the country.
She specifically mentioned Journalist Ashraf Kasirye, who sustained a severe head injury during political confrontations in December 2020 and has since been receiving specialised care abroad, including successful skull surgery in the United States in September 2023.
Similarly, she referenced music producer Dan Magic, another figure associated with the opposition movement, who has also been abroad for treatment since sustaining serious injuries in December 2020.
Despite her own ongoing, albeit unclear, health concerns which originated from a parliamentary scuffle, Malende is expected to contest her parliamentary seat in next year's election.