MASAKA I URN: Security operatives have arrested the incoming Masaka City Woman MP Justine Nameere Nsubuga, for allegedly attempting to interfere with the process for election of the Speaker of Parliament.
Namere was arrested from Hotel Brovad Hotel in Masaka City on Friday evening, while conducting a celebration drive through the city after her swearing in. She was arrested by armed military personnel who were driving in a Toyota Hiace van (famously known as drone), with concealed number plates, which intercepted her car at the Hotel’s entrance.
Huzairuh Nsubuga, Nameere’s husband who witnessed her arrest narrated that the armed men waylaid them, before they forcefully dragged her to the waiting van. He says the army also wrestled down Nameere’s PGB security escort, overpowered him before they went away with the MP without giving reasons for her arrest.
According to him, the army also went away with some of the MP’s belongings they recovered from the car. He however declined to delve into details of what was taken along.
”They created dramatic scenes, scared off all the supporters who were part of the convoy and forced us to open the car only to see men grabbing her to an unknown destination,” he says.
Twaha Kasirye, the Greater Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson says they will later issue a statement about the incident. He says security is still conducting its covert operations he could not talk about prematurely.
Nameere’s arrest came moments after her heated social media exchange with the Patriotic League Secretary-PLU, David Kabanda following a statement withdrawing the group’s support for the re-election of Annet Anita Among as the Speaker of Parliament.
Kabanda who is also the MP for Kasambya county in Mubende district, noted that PLU leadership led by the Chief of Defense Forces, General Muhoozi Kainerugaba had de-associated with Among for her alleged involvement in abuse of public funds.
The statement however attracted rage from Nameere who accused Kabanda of using it as a stunt for blackmailing the current speaker. She is believed to have continued to mobilize fellow MPs allied to PLU to disregard the PLU statement and continue supporting Anita Among for Speakership.
Kabanda also accuses Nameere of selfishly demobilizing against PLU’s preferred candidate for Speaker Jackson Oboth Oboth, through making threatening phone calls to MPs who were invited for his thanksgiving celebration.
