Police have dismissed claims that musician-turned-politician Ali Buken, popularly known as Nubian Li, was arrested shortly after being nominated for the Nakawa Mayor race.
Luke Owoyesigyire, the Deputy Spokesperson of Kampala Metropolitan Police, clarified on Tuesday that Nubian Li was not taken into custody but was instead escorted by police officers to avoid potential traffic disruptions caused by a planned procession.
“There’s been no arrest of Nubian Li,” Owoyesigyire stated. “What I want to confirm is that the police at the Electoral Commission received information that Nubian Li and his colleagues had organized a procession involving vehicles and boda bodas after the nomination in Ntinda. The planned route through busy centers could have resulted in traffic congestion and public disorder. To prevent this, he was safely escorted home. He is not under arrest.”
The police statement comes in response to earlier allegations made by the opposition National Unity Platform (NUP), whose spokesperson Joel Ssenyonyi claimed that Nubian Li was forcefully taken by police to an undisclosed location following his nomination.
The NUP has yet to issue a follow-up statement following the police clarification.
Nubian Li, a long-time associate of NUP leader Robert Kyagulanyi (Bobi Wine), was nominated to contest for the Nakawa Mayoral seat ahead of the 2026 general elections.
