In a tense standoff at Uganda’s National Unity Platform (NUP) headquarters in Makerere, Kavule, three Members of Parliament and seven others were detained on Monday evening. The MPs, aligned with the opposition party, faced charges stemming from their alleged involvement in clashes with law enforcement.

Francis Zaake of Mityana Municipality, Hassan Kirumira of Katikamu South, and Charles Tebandeke of Baale County, Kayunga District, were among those remanded. Zaake faced multiple charges related to traffic offenses after a confrontation with police officers as he approached the party headquarters. The charges included careless driving, driving without a valid license, and disobedience of lawful orders.

The remaining individuals were charged with participating in an unlawful assembly, accused of causing public disturbance near the NUP headquarters. Despite pleading not guilty, all defendants were remanded in custody pending a bail hearing scheduled for Thursday.

Police spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke had earlier highlighted concerns over overcrowding at the NUP headquarters, attributing the clashes to the large influx of party supporters without sufficient space to accommodate them.

The arrests mark another chapter in the ongoing political tensions between opposition groups and authorities in Uganda, drawing international attention to issues of political freedom and civil liberties in the country.