9 bodies recovered; 80 arrested in Bundibugyo clashes

The Police and sister security agencies have recovered nine bodies and arrested 80 suspects following Saturday's tribal clashes in Bundibugyo district.

According to police, the killing of the nine people during the post-election violence in Busaru sub-county, in Bundibugyo district, has left residents in fear, with hundreds fleeing their villages.

Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said that a group of people under the command of the Obundhigya Bwa Bamba King, retired Lt. Col Martin Kamya, are planning to conduct attacks on supporters of Ronald Mutegeki, the National Resistance Movement flag bearer for the seat of Chairman LC 5.

Enanga said police is screening the suspects as investigations go on.

Attacks erupted in the wee hours of Friday night following the announcement of Ronald Mutegeki as the winner of the Bundibugyo district LC5 seat by the district registrar, Daniel Nayebare.

Mutegeki (NRM) was contesting against Jolly Tibemanya, the incumbent who was standing as an independent.

The district registrar had on Thursday announced Tibemanya as the winner of the race with 33,012 against Mutegeki's 32,374 votes, which sent his supporters in jubilation.

The cheerful mood of Tibemanya's supporters changed at around 3:00pm on Friday, when the returning officer instead announced Mutegeki as the winner.

Nayebale apologised, saying the results were provisional. On Saturday morning, a group of about 30 people armed with sticks, pangas and spears, appeared in Bukundugu village, according to eyewitnesses, and started killing people.

"They reached here at around 2:00am, I was asleep and heard people crying and making noise. Then I heard a bang on my door. I woke up and used the back door and ran away. My house was burnt down and my sister and her son killed," said James Balyebulya, a resident of Bukundugu.