Subcounty chairperson among five held over Buvuma post-election violence
Police allege that the group held secret night meetings in Mubaale village in an attempt to establish what police described as a parallel local council administration.
Geoffrey Buwonya Musasizi (right), the Nairambi Sub-county chairperson, addresses a land security meeting on Friday before his arrest. (Photo by Henry Nsubuga)
__________________
Police in Buvuma district have arrested a subcounty chairperson and four others over alleged violence, arson, injury to animals and impersonation following a Local Council (LC) One election in Mubaale village, Nairambi subcounty.
According to Sezibwa Regional Police spokesperson Hellen Butoto, the five suspects are accused of inciting violence against the duly elected LC1 chairperson, Ddamulira Saaka, and his supporters after the Electoral Commission declared him the winner of the Mubaale village LC1 election.
The incidents are alleged to have occurred between August and September 2026.
The suspects include Geoffrey Buwonya Musasizi (45), the Nairambi subcounty chairperson; Christopher Okello Wandera (40), the Namugombe Parish chairperson; David Mangeni (53); Issa Mpala (27); and Nicholas Bateganya (32).
Butoto told New Vision that the trouble reportedly started after Isma Malinzi, who lost the Mubaale Village chairperson election, teamed up with Musasizi, Wandera and others in an alleged attempt to retaliate against Ddamulira and his supporters.
Police allege that the group held secret night meetings in Mubaale village in an attempt to establish what police described as a parallel local council administration.
She added that houses belonging to some residents were allegedly set on fire and animals injured during the violence.
Police further accuse Malinzi of impersonating Ddamulira by allegedly presenting himself as the Mubaale village chairperson and appointing people as members of a local council committee, despite not being the elected chairperson.
The alleged activities prompted Ddamulira to seek police intervention after the situation reportedly escalated.
Police said efforts were underway to trace and arrest other suspects who remain at large.
Butoto said investigations were ongoing and that the suspects would face the appropriate charges upon completion of the inquiries.
RDC warns against post-election violence
“At one of the polling stations, he allegedly took the voters’ register and tore it into pieces simply because the candidate of his choice had lost. We are not ready to accept such conduct from our leaders because it gives a wrong and bad impression to the people they are leading,” Ndege said.
Police said investigations into the allegations were continuing.
At a land security meeting convened on September 26, 2026, at Bulugulu village by the area Member of Parliament and fisheries state minister Robert Migadde Ndugwa, Musasizi said he had received several police summons but was not ready to honour them, arguing that the charges against him were not genuine.
The meeting was attended by the Buvuma District Police Commander, the District Internal Security Officer (DISO), Woman MP Judith Naggujja Nsubuga and other local leaders.
Musasizi was reportedly arrested on his way home from the meeting on Friday evening and is currently being held at Buvuma Central Police Station.