Ahead of the party primaries on Friday, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) has re-enforced the presence of electoral personnel to stem the already glaring pockets of violence within various hotspots, sources have told New Vision.

Already, there have been clashes in Hoima and Bushenyi districts as contenders comb villages to clinch the NRM ticket.

The emerging pockets of violence laced with unending clashes between NRM camps and supporters have also been reported in several areas across the country.

Pockets of violence

In Samia Bugwe South in Busia district, state minister for East African Affairs, Julius Maganda, said he survived being shot at during a scuffle. Maganda faces seven contenders, including veteran politician Chango Machyo. Others are, James Osinya, Stephen Oundo Wanyama, Patrick Onyango, Godfrey Were, Charles Wafula and Francis Oundo.

For Mawogola North in Sembabule district, supporters of Shartis Musherire, the daughter of foreign affairs minister Sam Kutesa and those of Sodo Aine Kaguta, a brother of President Yoweri Museveni also clashed after Kaguta's rally was stopped by Police over the weekend.

Pockets of violence have also been reported by contenders for Lwemiyaga County where incumbent Theodore Ssekikubo is fighting for the NRM flag with state minister for works, Joy Kabatsi.

The emerging trend underpinning the jostle for the NRM ticket within Sembabule district is the fact that all contenders are guarded by gun-wielding counter-terrorism security personnel.

Supporters of the former Vice President, Prof. Gilbert Bukenya, who is contesting for the Busiro North NRM flag also clashed with those of state minister for Luwero Triangle, Denis Ssozi Galabuzi, over allegations of defacing posters of Bukenya from Masulita town.

The electoral violence in the run-up to the NRM primaries has also been exhibited in Kassanda South where over the weekend supporters of incumbent Simeo Nsubuga clashed with those aligned to his contender, Michael Muhumuza.

In Hoima district, supporters of incumbent Woman MP, Harriet Mugenyi Businge clashed with those of her main challenger for the NRM flag, Beatrice Wembabazi. During the scuffle, Wembabazi, who is currently hospitalized, was beaten into coma while her driver Julius Birungi sustained injuries.

Within Bushenyi district, where the minister for general duties, Mary Karooro Okurut is battling with Annet Mugisha Katusiime, for the NRM ticket, the chairperson of the NRM party electoral commission, Dr Tanga Odoi, had to rush to the scene to cool off the rising political temperature that had turned violent.

"I have the mandate to suspend NRM elections in any district. I had wanted to do so in Hoima district but after consultations, I allowed them to continue, and Bushenyi is not exceptional. I will not tolerate these acts of violence anymore," Odoi said during a town hall meeting with stakeholders from Bushenyi district last week on Friday. 

To avert the possibility of full-blown violence, the NRM has mandated all the top electoral officials to man regions where violent actions in the run in to the September 4 internal elections are evident.

Tanga is manning the western region while his deputies, John Kigyagi and Jane Alisemera are traversing the eastern and West Nile regions where pockets of violence have been reported ahead of the party primaries.

The NRM electoral chief has since called upon candidates to control their supporters or face disqualification.

"We shall request Police to get the problematic candidate out of circulation so that we can have peace. The party is bigger than any of us," he said, ordering the NRM district registrars to scrutinize the party registers and ensure that no one is deleted.

Police spokesperson, Fred Enanga, also said on Monday that enforcement of security to ensure law and order and the strict adherence to measures tailored to curb the spread of COVID19 will be beefed up to ensure that the situation is peaceful as NRM and other political parties conduct their internal electoral processes.

Hot spots

About 1,200 are expected to participate in the NRM primaries, which contenders say, are poised to revive old rivalries and also set the pace for a surge of independents.

Contenders also say that intrigue, intimidation and bribery allegations have twined up with violence to define the scientific campaigns for the internal elections.

In Maracha and Koboko districts, NRM contenders yesterday raised an alarm over an alleged plan to doctor the party's register.

For Koboko Municipality, which has been mapped out as a hotspot, the jostle for the NRM flag is between state minister for investment, Evelyn Anite and Dr Charles Ayume, the son of former speaker and Attorney General, Francis Ayume.

In Kibuuku district, contenders almost split hairs during a meeting of NRM leaders over allegations of irregularities of the party register.

The incumbent Kibuuku County MP, Herbert Kinobere, said that he was not only erased from the register, but he was also declared dead.

"It is not a fair deal and whoever is behind this is trying to kill the party," he said.

To sort the matter, state minister for local government, Jennifer Namuyangu, who is also the Kibuuku Woman MP, has implored the village-to-village verification of the NRM register in the district.

"Registrars are hiding registers and specific candidates are targeted," she said.

Sheema Municipality

Insiders within NRM have told New Vision that Sheema Municipality is one of the constituencies that they are monitoring closely ahead of the party primaries. Already contenders, including the minister of technology, Dr Elioda Tumwesigye, have raised queries about the party register.

Tumwesigye is fighting for the NRM flag with ex Uganda Revenue Authority (URA) commissioner for customs, Dickson Kateshumbwa, former permanent secretary for local government, Patrick Mutabwire and David Kamukama.

Rubanda East

The battle for the NRM ticket in Rubanda East is also hot with incumbent Henry Musasizi facing off with Rubanda district LCV chairperson, Jogo Biryabarema. Supporters from each of the warring camps have already charged at each other, a trend that has made the NRM re-enforce its troops to monitor the political temperatures in the constituency and beyond.

Mbarara city north

Here the clash is between Michael Tusiime, the incumbent, is competing with the NRM chairperson of the entrepreneur league on the Central Executive Committee (CEC), Dr Mwesigwa Rukaari.  The stakes are high, according to NRM sources, and being of the hottest contested areas, the process must be monitored closely.

Rujumbura county

As former minister Maj. Gen. Jim Muhwezi seeks to reclaim the constituency from Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) lawmaker, Fred Turyamuhweza, he faces tough competition from Julius Muhurizi and former New Vision journalist, Vanansio Nahwera Bagateireyo for the NRM flag.

Kamuli district Woman MP

The political rivalry between Speaker of Parliament, Rebecca Kadaga, and Deborah Mwesigwa Mugerwa, a former URA employee, which started in 2015, will also surface as they faceoff in a bid to clinch the NRM flag.

Rushenyi county

The battle for the NRM flag in Rushenyi County, Ntungamo district is between state minister for labour, Mwesigwa Rukutana and former Ntungamo Woman MP, Naome Kabasharira.  Insiders say the campaigning has been fierce with some candidates openly flouting guidelines that government rolled out to curb the spread of COVID-19. Pockets of violence and voter bribery allegations have also been registered in the battle for Rushenyi.

Norman Kashereka, Nicholas Niwanereza and Bob Nahabwe are the other contenders that are challenging Rukutana in the race for the NRM party ticket.

West Budama Central

Within West Budama Central, the contenders have already threatened to boycott the elections if the party register is not verified by NRM supporters. Complaints over the alleged alteration of the party register in the area have been fronted by Alice Opondo, the sister of the Government spokesperson, Ofwono Opondo.

Alice Opondo faces off with incumbent Jacobs Oboth-Oboth for the party ticket.

Bukoto South

In Lwego district, the jostle for the NRM ticket in Bukoto South, is closely being monitored by security and the NRM because of the unending fight over the party register by two contending camps—that of the incumbent Muyanja Mbabaali and Abdu Kiyimba.

Supporters of these bitter rivals have in the past fought over the process, a trend, which NRM insiders say, has necessitated mounted enforcement to avert violence.