Police fire bullets, tear gas as Wakiso chairperson elections fail
Police and the army were called in to quell the protest, but upon arrival, they were met with a hostile crowd that refused to unblock the road.
Police officers load motorcycles onto an army vehicle for transportation to Kawanda Police Station. (Photo by Wasswa B. Ssentongo.)
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WAKISO — Police were (October 19) forced to fire live bullets in the air and lob tear gas canisters to disperse angry residents of Nakyesanja-Kawanda Village in Nabweru division, Wakiso district, who had blocked the main road and lit bonfires to protest the alleged failure by the Electoral Commission to conduct their local council chairperson elections.
The tense standoff brought traffic to a standstill on the busy Kawanda-Namalere road, as residents insisted they wanted to vote for their preferred village leader.
The residents of Nakyesanja had woken up early in the morning with high hopes of finally electing their village chairperson.
Four candidates had been cleared to contest for the seat: Ritah Kizito (National Resistance Movement), Joyce Ssaka (National Unity Platform), as well as Sulaiman Kaweesa and Emmanuel Wasswa (both independents).
However, their hopes were dashed when Electoral Commission officials from Wakiso district failed to show up at the polling station. The residents waited for hours in the scorching sun, but no one from the Electoral Commission appeared to conduct the exercise.
Frustrated by the long wait, the residents turned the designated polling area into a playground.
Some of the women started playing dodgeball locally known as 'okwepena', while men started playing football.
"We have been here since morning. We are tired of waiting. We thought we would vote but they are not coming," one resident shouted.
After waiting for several more hours without any communication from the Electoral Commission, the residents' frustration boiled over and they decided to take to the streets.
They blocked the main road from Kawanda to Namalere, preventing vehicles from passing.
Residents said the Electoral Commission had not properly communicated whether voting would take place or not. Many of them said they did not know about any postponement and had only come to vote as previously instructed, only to be turned away again.
Police and the army were called in to quell the protest, but upon arrival, they were met with a hostile crowd that refused to unblock the road.
Police were then forced to fire bullets in the air and use tear gas to disperse the crowd and restore order.
A woman washes her face to relieve irritation after police fired tear gas at residents. (Photo by Wasswa B. Ssentongo)
The sound of gunfire and teargas sent residents scampering for safety, with women and children being the most affected.
Arrests, confiscated motorcycles
In the ensuing chaos, several people were arrested for allegedly instigating the violence. Police also impounded a number of motorcycles, whose owners were accused of participating in the illegal demonstration.
Some of the residents complained about the brutality of the teargas, saying it was too much and had affected even those who were not part of the protest, including children and the elderly who were in nearby homes.
The Regional Police Commander for Kampala North, Moses Nanoka, later arrived at the scene to calm down the situation. He appealed to the residents to remain calm and patient.
Nanoka said the Electoral Commission had informed him that there are still ongoing investigations into the Nakyesanja elections, and that the Commission would communicate the new date for voting once the investigations are concluded.
"I ask you to be calm. The Electoral Commission has told us that there are still investigations going on. They will tell you the date when you will vote," Nanoka told the angry residents.
"We want to vote so that people know who the chairperson is. We cannot allow one person to rule the village without being elected," one of the candidates said.
Former Wakiso District Speaker Nasif Najja, who is also a voter in the same area, said he was surprised that the elections had failed to take place again, yet many people had come out with enthusiasm to vote for their preferred leader. Najja also contested for the Wakiso district chairpersonship and lost to Eng. Ian Kyeyune.
Why election was cancelled
The current crisis stems from the elections that were held on June 28. On that day, voting in Nakyesanja was nullified after the number of people, who voted exceeded the number of registered voters on the voters' register.
The presiding officer at the time announced that the election was cancelled and said the Electoral Commission would announce a new date for a re-run.
However, residents say the following day, when they went to vote again as they had been told, they were told there would be no re-election, without any clear explanation.
Since then, residents say they have been tossed back and forth. Every day they are told voting will take place, and when they show up, they are given new dates, but no voting happens.
Miriam Babirye, one of the residents, said they are tired of being treated as if they have nothing to do.
"We are tired of being tossed around like people who have nothing to do. Every day they tell us one thing, that voting will be there, but when they give us dates, we don't vote," Babirye said.
Residents now want the Wakiso District Electoral Commission to give a clear, written date when the re-election will take place to end the confusion and tension in the village.
By evening, the road had been cleared and traffic had resumed, but anti-riot police remained deployed in the area to prevent any further protests.