The arrest of Masaka City Woman MP-elect Justine Nameere appears to have been preceded by an escalating public confrontation with leaders of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), particularly its secretary general, David Kabanda.
The latest fallout unfolded shortly after Nameere, who can be vocal and unrelenting, was sworn in as the Woman MP for Masaka City.
Speaking to journalists at Parliament after taking the oath, Nameere accused Kabanda of misusing the name of Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, the CDF, who is also the founder of PLU and the first son.
She sharply criticised Kabanda and dismissed PLU’s recent position on the race for Speaker and Deputy Speaker of Parliament.
“I want to thank my people of Masaka City for voting for me, and I promise to deliver effective representation in the Parliament of Uganda. However, I am disappointed by people like Daudi Kabanda who have gone ahead to hoodwink the public over the speakership,” Nameere said as supporters dressed in yellow chanted pro-Museveni songs.
Nameere, a former television host and lawyer, recently won the Masaka City Woman MP seat after a vote recount that overturned an earlier result in favour of National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Rose Nalubowa. The recount was presided over by Chief Magistrate Albert Asiimwe.
During her remarks, Nameere claimed PLU’s declaration withdrawing support for Speaker Anita Among and Deputy Speaker Thomas Tayebwa was baseless and diversionary.
The dispute appears to have intensified after Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba posted a warning on his X account that many observers interpreted as directed at Nameere.
“I advise some ladies to steer clear of some of the issues. It doesn’t matter how many times Mzee calls you. That doesn’t make you amount to anything,” Muhoozi posted.
Despite the warning, Nameere continued criticising Kabanda and PLU, accusing some leaders within the group of soliciting kickbacks while using Gen Muhoozi’s name.
Kabanda later responded by referencing the controversies surrounding Nameere’s election dispute in Masaka City. In response, Nameere accused him of blackmail and questioned the accountability of charity activities linked to PLU.
She insisted that the decision on the next speaker would ultimately be made by the Central Executive Committee of the NRM rather than PLU.
Nameere also questioned the legitimacy of some PLU leaders, arguing that she had mobilised support for Gen Muhoozi and the PLU brand in Masaka at a time when many politicians feared associating with the movement.
At the same time, she maintained support for Among, who is seeking another term as speaker. Later in the evening, she was arrested in Masaka after her car was intercepted by a minivan believed to have been carrying security personnel. She was then driven to an unknown place, leaving her supporters shaken.
By Friday night, neither the police nor the army had officially commented on Nameere’s arrest or disclosed where she had been taken.
Political analysts say Nameere’s arrest reflects growing tensions linked to the race for speaker of Parliament, which has attracted several names, including Among, Norbert Mao, Persis Namuganza, and Lydia Wanyoto.
Observers argue that the conflict has evolved into a broader power struggle involving Parliament, security-linked political groups, and influential figures within the ruling establishment.
Nameere previously served as presidential adviser on mobilisation in Masaka City. She is also the daughter of the former minister of Defence, Vincent Bamulangaki Ssempijja.
