Kampala District Woman Member of Parliament, Shamim Malende has been arrested shortly after arriving at Entebbe International Airport from Aga Khan Hospital, Nairobi, where she had been receiving medical treatment.
Before her arrest, Malende briefly addressed the media, announcing plans for a peaceful countrywide demonstration in solidarity with detained supporters of the National Unity Platform (NUP).
She called on Ugandans to show support by shaving their heads as a symbolic act to commemorate and stand with the incarcerated NUP members.
“We must stand together for justice and freedom. Shaving our heads is a peaceful gesture of solidarity with those who continue to be unjustly detained,” she said.
Malende rose to national prominence during the 2021 general elections, when she actively defended NUP supporters in court, tirelessly seeking bail for dozens of detained party members. Her efforts earned her widespread recognition and ultimately led to her election as Kampala District Woman MP.
At the time of publication, the reasons for her arrest and her current whereabouts had not yet been officially disclosed by police.
Malende was last week discharged from Aga Khan Hospital in Kenya after spending three months undergoing specialized medical treatment.
Malende traveled to Kenya in April following a continued deterioration in her health. Prior to that, she had been receiving treatment at Nsambya Hospital in Kampala, where doctors recommended she seek further care from specialists at Aga Khan Hospital.
Her health reportedly worsened after an incident in November last year, when law enforcement officers allegedly assaulted her and several other lawmakers during the passing of the Coffee Amendment Bill.
Malende explained that medical personnel at Nsambya Hospital had advised her to consult the same team of experts who had treated her in 2022.
“I was recommended by the medical personnel at Nsambya Hospital to seek further treatment from the experts who handled my case in 2022. We decided that I should go to Aga Khan Hospital to receive better medical care,” she said.
She also disclosed that she had undergone surgery in the past, but the injuries sustained during the alleged assault at Parliament aggravated her condition, from which she has not fully recovered.
