Musician-turned-politician Ali Bukeni, popularly known as Nubian Li, has decried the arrest of his polling agents in parts of Nakawa East during voting for the Nakawa Division mayoral race.
Despite the challenges, Nubian Li said he remained confident of winning the race. The National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer cast his vote at Perfect Nursery and Primary School in Tuba, Kulambiro, Nakawa Division, at around 1:00 p.m.
He was accompanied by Katikamu Member of Parliament Denis Ssekabira. Nubian Li is contesting against the incumbent mayor, Paul Mugambe, who is running as an independent, as well as the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Susan Zawedde, among others.
Shortly after voting, Nubian Li alleged that an unspecified number of his polling agents had been arrested in Mbuya Zones 1 and 2, forcing him to urgently look for replacements.
He also questioned the introduction and use of biometric voting machines, which were not deployed during the recent presidential, parliamentary, or LC5 elections.
He wondered why the Electoral Commission opted to introduce the machines at this stage instead of suspending their use and relying on manual registers, as was done in previous elections.
Dressed in a black shirt and trousers, Nubian Li emphasized the need for transparency and procedural consistency in all electoral processes.
Separately, Nubian Li cited his extensive campaign across all parishes in Nakawa Division and his deep knowledge of the area—having been born, raised, and currently residing there- as the foundation of his confidence in winning the election.
He outlined his plans to address key governance challenges, including irregular garbage collection schedules, poor drainage in informal settlements, high unemployment despite the presence of factories and companies, and social issues affecting the youth and single mothers.
Meanwhile, Nubian Li also condemned what he described as growing insecurity, death threats, and a recent raid on his home in Magere, events he says have forced his party leader, Robert Kyagulanyi Ssentamu, into hiding.
He noted that it is unfortunate that the very issues that once drove President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni into the bush have resurfaced and are now forcing opposition leaders like Kyagulanyi, whom many Ugandans believe in, to go on the run.
Kyagulanyi was defeated by President Museveni in the January 15 presidential election, in which Museveni secured 71.6 percent of the vote against Kyagulanyi’s 24.5 percent, in a race that featured six other candidates. Kyagulanyi’s whereabouts have remained unknown since then.
However, the government spokesperson and Minister for ICT, Chris Baryomunsi, has stated that no security agency—whether the UPDF or police—is pursuing him, and has advised him to come out of hiding.
MP Denis Ssekabira, who was campaigning alongside Nubian Li, criticized the NRM for alleged irregularities during its party primaries, claiming that more than twenty people were reported dead during the internal party elections.
He accused the ruling party of being behind electoral irregularities and suggested that the government deliberately avoided using biometric machines in earlier elections to prevent traceability of voter turnout and allow manipulation of results.
Like Nubian Li, Ssekabira argued that the use of machines has only been permitted after presidential and parliamentary elections, particularly for lower-level positions such as mayors and district councillors, positions he claimed the government is less interested in and has therefore allowed the opposition to contest.
He described the situation as reflective of broader governance tactics, where electoral tools are selectively applied depending on perceived political benefit. Ssekabira further claimed that such practices are used by dictators to create the illusion of free and fair elections.
Meanwhile, voting in the Nakawa Division mayoral election is continuing amid rainfall in some areas. Several polling stations, especially those near schools, have shifted voting into classrooms, while others, particularly in Kulambiro, are struggling to find shelter.
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