Fazali Nabende, the National Unity Platform (NUP) coordinator for the Bugisu region, has been granted bond today September 6th, 2025, after spending a night in police custody over allegations of inciting violence and organizing an illegal gathering.
Nabende was arrested on Friday, September, 5th, 2025, during a clash between police and NUP supporters accompanying Hajji Musa Mansa, the NUP Mayoral aspirant for Mbale City, to nomination offices.
The police said the gathering at Lion’s Children’s Park was an unauthorized public rally intended to disrupt city center businesses, prompting officers to use tear gas and live bullets to disperse the crowd.
Nabende denies the allegations, stating that he was arrested while driving home from town and describing his detention as unlawful.
After his release at Mbale Central Police Station, he condemned the police action and called on NUP supporters to remain steadfast, asserting that the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) would eventually lose power.
“The police actions were unjust. I urge all NUP supporters to stay strong and united, because the NRM’s grip on power will not last,” Nabende said after his release.
Despite the tension, Hajji Mansa was successfully nominated as NUP’s candidate for Mbale Mayor, keeping the party in the race for local leadership.
This incident adds to a pattern of friction between NUP and security forces in the Bugisu region.
In 2025, there have been reports of clashes and tensions involving National Unity Platform (NUP) leaders and security personnel in Mbale.
In April 2025, the Uganda Police suspended upcoming NUP regional mobilization training meetings after an incident in Mbale, where party supporters allegedly blocked oncoming traffic while returning from an event. The police said the suspension was due to repeated violations of public order and traffic regulations by the party’s supporters.”
Additionally, in March 2025, Samuel Nanoka, the Sironko District NUP chairperson, reported being kidnapped, blindfolded, and questioned about NUP’s plans before being dumped in Mbale city.
The repeated clashes highlight rising political tensions as opposition parties intensify mobilization ahead of upcoming local elections, raising concerns about law enforcement, civil liberties, and political stability in the region.
