Security moves to stop Lambu post election chaos

Security agencies in Masaka have intervened in the post election conflicts at Lambu landing site, Bukakata sub-county in Masaka district.

This follows supporters of the outgoing LC 3 Chairperson for Bukakata sub-county, Joseph Lubega (Independent) who his successor Aloysius Juuko (NRM) and vandalized his car last week.

Over 2000 supporters of Lubega had organized a rally scheduled for today, Wednesday, at Lambu landing site where they planned to officially break away from Masaka to Kalangala district.

Masaka RDC Capt. Kigozi Kawesi told The New Vision that the rally was halted because locals did not seek police clearance.

"The election campaigns and polls ended, what is the meaning of the rally? They cannot mobilize residents to attend a rally without clearance of the police and security, what has started as a small matter can turn into a serious mess," he said.

Last week the office of the Masaka RDC deployed  anti-riot police and UPDF armored brigade troops to calm the situation at Lambu landing site where the locals had turned hostile against the new chairman.

Police had to fire tear gas to disperse the charged crowd that had started hurling stones at Juuko's car before arresting at least 10 suspects.

The locals vowed not to allow to be governed by Juuko saying they would rather break away from Masaka and become part of the neighboring Kalangala district.

Lubega - Juuko stalemate

The locals attempted to destroy the access road that connects Bukakata to Lambu landing site.  Juuko told The New Vision that the locals started digging away the access road with intent to create their own island.

The Bukakata LC 3 Chairman elect, Aloysious Juuko(NRM) at Masaka Central Police Station looking at his car back screen which was shattered by the locals at lambu landing site.

"Those locals want to create their own island and elect Lubega as their self styled area mayor," he said. Juuko defeated Lubega 150 votes in the 2016 election and in 2011 Lubega defeated Juuko with less than 20 votes
    
A similar scenario occurred at Lambu landing site in 2011 when the community turned violent after the polls and set Juuko's car on fire after he had lost the election to Lubega.

Earlier a group of unkwown people waylaid Lubega and cut him using a panga in Bukakata.  Lubega recovered after admission at Kitovu hospital.

In retariation the locals stormed Juuko's home and destroyed properties including animals and the banana plantation.

Police by then deployed heavily at Lambu to guard against the further damage of properties.   Police intercepted and stopped the locals from advancing towards Bukakata Secondary school which is owned by Juuko.

Juuko told The New Vision that he lost property worth 50m Shs in the 2011 post election violence at Lambu landing site.     He said that there is small group of locals at Lambu landing site which hates him.

He said the hostile environment at Lambu landing site where he owns a home, school and business including a hotel and a cinema hall.

"I have been denied the opportunity to run my business at Lambu landing site, my staff are scared, I genuinely won the elections, I need personal safety and security," he said.

Juuko said his supporters at Lambu landing site have been intimidated.
 
Juuko said he has a strong backing of over 30 LC communities where he won with a majority vote.
 
"I won basing on the majority, I hail from the ruling party NRM, I do not want to be forced to engage in election violence in revenge, those few people at Lambu landing site cannot defeat me if we decided to fight," he said.

Juuko and Lubega are both key stakeholders in the fishing businesses. Both of them own boats and businesses at Lambu landing site.   

Lambu landing site has a population of over 10,000 people, who engange in fish trade. Juuko is the only LC 3 chairperson who won on the NRM party ticket in Masaka district.   The majority of the elective offices at Parliamentary, district and sub-county level were swept by DP candidates.

Ssekasamba told The New Vision that Lubega should concede defeat.  He said supporters of Lubega should understand that breaking a way from Masaka to Kalangala has a procedure.

"You do not just wake up in the morning and you say that Lambu landing site has decided to breakway from Masaka to join Kalangala district," he said.

The Southern Regional Police Commander (RPC) Maxwel Ogwala met the two parties on Monday in his office and asked them to reconcile. He warned Lubega against holding the Wednesday rally.

The New Vision learnt that the matter has been put to the attention of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Gen Kale Kayihura.