Nameere arrested hours after swearing-in amid PLU row

Newly sworn-in Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere Nsubuga was reportedly arrested by military operatives on Friday night, hours after escalating her public attacks against Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU) Secretary General Daudi Kabanda despite warnings from Chief of Defence Forces Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Sources said armed men travelling in a military drone taxi van picked up Nameere from Tropic Inn late Friday and drove her to an unknown destination.

The reported arrest came on the same day Nameere took oath as Woman Member of Parliament for Masaka City for the 2026–2031 term.

After her swearing-in, Nameere continued criticising Kabanda and the PLU leadership while defending Speaker Anita Annet Among in the growing Speakership contest.

The standoff followed PLU’s withdrawal of support for Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa before Gen. Muhoozi later endorsed Defence minister Jacob Oboth Oboth for Speaker.

Earlier on Friday, Muhoozi posted messages on X that many interpreted as directed at Nameere.

“I advise some ladies to steer clear of some of these issues. It doesn’t matter how many times Mzee calls you. That doesn’t make you amount to anything!” he wrote.

Muhoozi later issued stronger remarks.

“Those who doubt my power in my country. Try me now and find out,” he posted before adding: “No one should even dream of trying me. I will not stop for anything.”

The fallout between Nameere and the PLU leadership deepened after she defended Among and maintained that National Resistance Movement MPs would back the Speaker following an earlier recommendation by the party’s Central Executive Committee.

Kabanda later referred to Nameere’s disputed Masaka City election, prompting her to accuse him of blackmail and question accountability in PLU-linked charity activities.

By Friday night, neither the UPDF nor police had issued a statement on the reported arrest or revealed Nameere’s whereabouts.

The incident is expected to increase tensions surrounding the Speakership race, which has widened into a larger political contest involving Parliament, security-linked political groups and senior ruling party figures.