Comedian Lubega Obed Reign and NUP mobiliser Habib Buwembo were reportedly detained alongside several other party members after security personnel disrupted a planned football match at Kitebi Primary School.
The incident happened as NUP supporters gathered for activities marking the first Sunday of the month dedicated to celebrating party president Bobi Wine.
The football match was planned between NUP party leaders and the party’s foot soldiers as part of the day’s activities.
The programme also provided an opportunity for supporters to reflect on issues the party associates with its political struggle, including justice, the rule of law and the protection of human rights.
According to the information provided, the activities were disrupted by security personnel before the planned programme could proceed as intended.
Reign, Buwembo and several other NUP members were reportedly pepper-sprayed and taken into custody during the disruption.
The exact number of people detained has not been provided. The identities of the security personnel involved have also not been established from the available information.
The reported detentions came against the backdrop of concerns among some NUP members following the circulation of footage involving political prisoner Sam Mugumya.
The source does not provide details about the footage or establish when it was recorded, but says its circulation had left some party members concerned.
The planned football match at Kitebi Primary School was part of the wider programme by NUP supporters, who were also marking their monthly celebration of Bobi Wine.
The event brought together party leaders and supporters through a sporting activity, giving the day’s programme both a political and social dimension.
For Reign, who is identified in the source as a comedian, the reported detention places an entertainment figure at the centre of an incident involving a political gathering.
Buwembo was also identified as an NUP mobiliser among those taken into custody. Following the incident, information indicated that the detainees were being taken to City Hall Court for mention of their charges.
However, the specific charges against Reign, Buwembo and the other reported detainees have not been provided.
It is also not confirmed from the available information whether all those detained were eventually presented before court.
NUP supporters and well-wishers were subsequently urged to go to City Hall Court to show solidarity with those involved. They were also encouraged to serve as sureties where required and witness the court proceedings.
The appeal focused on the importance of due process. “Let’s turn up at court to stand in solidarity with them and to witness the proceedings.” “Justice must be seen to be done, and everyone deserves due process.”
The source does not identify who issued the appeal, and no official statement from the Uganda Police Force or City Hall Court has been provided to independently confirm the circumstances surrounding the incident.
According to the information available, the next development is expected to be the court proceedings at City Hall Court.
The source indicates that those detained were being taken there for mention of their charges. However, the charges themselves have not been confirmed in the material provided.
It is also not clear whether the football match began before security personnel disrupted the activities.
The circumstances surrounding the reported pepper-spraying and detentions therefore remain subject to further confirmation from police, court records, NUP officials or representatives of the individuals involved.
The incident has drawn attention because it connects an NUP sporting activity with the detention of party members, including comedian Lubega Obed Reign.
It also places the planned NUP football match at Kitebi within a wider discussion about political gatherings, civic participation and due process.
For fans familiar with Reign’s work, his reported detention adds an entertainment dimension to an incident otherwise centred on NUP activities and the reported court appearance of party members.
The available information does not establish the final outcome of the case or whether any charges were formally presented before court.
For now, the focus remains on the reported City Hall Court proceedings and the call for supporters and well-wishers to attend and witness what follows.
Further details on the charges, number of detainees and official responses will be important in establishing the full circumstances of the incident involving Lubega Obed Reign and other NUP members.
