Witnesses say plain-clothed and uniformed officers swiftly surrounded him as he exited the premises before forcing him into a police truck and whisking him away to an unknown location.
The National Unity Platform (NUP) has condemned the arrest, describing it as state intimidation against opposition candidates. Party spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi said the incident was proof of a regime fearful of the people’s choice.
“A short while ago, as he exited the Electoral Commission offices in Ntinda after being nominated for the position of Nakawa Mayor, Ali Buken (Nubian Li) was pushed into a police truck and taken to an unknown location. The fear of the regime is evident, let’s press on!” Ssenyonyi stated.
The party has linked Nubian Li’s arrest to a wider crackdown targeting its leaders and supporters as the 2026 elections draw closer.
Earlier in the day, NUP’s deputy spokesperson Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro was also arrested outside Kawempe Magistrate’s Court, sparking fears of an escalating wave of political repression.
