Polls close, 80 arrested
Feb 19, 2011
DESPITE the voting exercise being calm in most places, there were a few incidents of violence as the country went to the polls Friday.
DESPITE the voting exercise being calm in most places, there were a few incidents of violence as the country went to the polls Friday. By midday, at least 80 people had been arrested over different election-related crimes, including murder, fighting and possession of weapons.
Ibanda
On Thursday night, the Police detained Ibanda North Independent parliamentary candidate, Major Guma Gumisiriza, in connection with the Thursday murder of a supporter of his opponent, Xavier Kyoma, the NRM candidate.As voting started on Friday day morning, Gumisiriza was still in detention at the Mbarara regional headquarters of South Western region. Gumisiriza’s car ran over Moses Inebyona at about 11:00am on Thursday.
Whereas Gumisiriza says it was an accident, the Police are not ruling out murder.
“We are still holding him as we continue with investigations,†Polly Namaye, the South Western Police spokesperson said yesterday.
A total of six people were arrested in connection with the incident.
Kyoma trounced Gumisiriza in NRM party primaries, prompting the latter to vie as an independent candidate.
Ntungamo
The Police arrested 26 supporters of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party on grounds that they were soliciting for votes after the campaigning period came to an end. Polly Namaye said they were found campaigning at around 9:00pm on Wednesday night.
“When the Police got the information, we rushed there, but they became violent and beat up policemen. It is a criminal offence and they are going to be taken to court,†she said.
Namaye added the 26 people were also found bribing voters and training vote protection squad, a group which she termed as Anti-Kiboko Squad, which she said bent on causing violence.
Iganga
FDC supporters in Iganga Municipality housing estate detained eight Policemen and their patrol pick-up for about four hours on Thursday night. The FDC supporters also smashed the windscreen of the vehicle, UP 0350.
While the party supporters said they caught the cops bribing voters with sugar and salt, Police officials said they were on normal patrol.
“The policemen were on duty only for rowdy FDC supporters to smash their car’s windscreen. They forced the van and the cops into the compound of parliamentary candidate Abed Mudiobole (FDC),†said David Manzi, the Iganga district Police chief.
According to Manzi, the Police moved in and secured the release of the car and the cops.
Tororo
Forty-two people were arrested in Tororo and Malaba towns on various crimes related to election violence. Michael Odongo, the Police spokesperson for zone 13 in Tororo, said the arrested had dangerous weapons, including pangas, slashers, clubs, bows and arrows.
Odongo said most of the suspects were involved in chaotic clashes between the supporters of incumbent MP Sanjay Tanna and his opponent, Yeri Apollo Ofwono. He added that they had also staged roadblocks to various roads leading into the town.
Odongo said despite the chaos in the municipality, the other districts in the zone were peaceful. The zone comprises Tororo, Busia, Butaleja, Budaka and Pallisa districts.
He added that more security officer would be recalled from the peaceful district to beef up the security in the municipality ahead of the ballot count that starts at 5:00pm.
Meanwhile, violence erupted at Elgon View Primary School polling station in Tororo Municipality after supporters of incumbent MP, Sanjay Tanna, and arch-rival Apollo Ofwono Yeri, engaged in a fight.
Sanjay’s supporters turned rowdy when two buses, UAK 519T and UAN 687F, carrying Makerere University students arrived at the school in Tororo Municipality. Tanna’s supporters confronted the new arrivals and a fist-fight ensued. Armed security personnel shot in the air to quell the confusion.
The Police later established that the bus occupants were Makerere University students and eligible voters of the municipality. The students, in the company of Prof. Tanga Odoi, were allowed to vote.
Kamuli
Lands state minister Asuman Kiyingi was nearly arrested after he wrongfully confiscated voting materials at Buwaibale polling station in Kitayunjwa sub-county and took them to the Police. He alleged that voting had started before the gazetted time, but the Police established that it was not true. When the Police tried to arrest him for providing wrong information, he dashed into his car and sped off. The voting materials were returned to the polling station.
“Maybe the minister acted out of anxiety or misinformation to grab the materials. Otherwise there was no malpractice at the station,†the district Police commander, Musa Nabende, said.
Kiyingi, who was defeated in the NRM primaries, ran as an independent for the Bugabula South parliamentary seat.
In a separate incident, minister Kiyingi’s brother, Zakaria Bossa Kiyingi, sustained a broken arm after he was allegedly stoned during a scuffle in Namisambya Primary School between supporters of two different camps.
Bossa, who was rushed to a hospital for treatment, later told journalists that his brother’s political rival, Henry Maurice Kibalya of NRM, threw a huge stone that broke his arm.
Kibalya could, however, not be reached for a comment.
Lwakhakha
Heavily-armed security personnel in Lwakhakha engaged in a verbal confrontation with dozens of Kenyans who were attempting to cross into Uganda allegedly to vote for Simon Mulongo, the NRM flag-bearer for Bubulo East. The group kept chanting Mulongo’s name. They insisted they were Ugandans living in Kenya.
Budadiri
In Budadiri West, there was a scuffle involving the incumbent, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, who is tussling it out with Beatrice Wabudeya, the Minister for the Presidency.
Buliisa
Two people, David Mugabo and Sylvester Mugabe, were nabbed as they allegedly gave money to people in Kalengejja. The recipients were asked to vote for area MP, Steven Mukitale Birahwaa.
According to the mid-western Police publicist, Zurah Ganyana, the Police recovered sh53,000 and sh3,000 from Mugabo and Mugambe from their pockets respectively.
Other residents, Godfrey Mugisha and David Aribo were led to the police cells after they whipped people in Kalengejja. They reportedly targeted those who did not support Birahwaa.
Godfrey Tekimanya, Bright Atugonza and Robert Abitegeka, all Buliisa residents, were netted over unclear possession of a knife. The seven suspects had Birahwaa’s appointment letters.
Serere
In Kamod, Serere district, Cpl. John Francis Olupot, was cut on the head as he tried to diffuse tension between NRM and FDC supporters shortly after midnight.
The deputy Police spokesperson, Vincent Ssekate, told Saturday Vision that the clashing people turned their anger on Olupot, hit him on the head and grabbed his gun.
Olupot’s gun was stolen, but recovered in a nearby bush.
Compiled by Herbert Ssempogo, Steven Candia, Paul Watala, Charles Kakamwa, Faustine Odeke, Moses Nampala, John Thawite, Abdulkarim Ssengendo, Mugisha Rwambuka, George Bita, Moses Nampala, Charles Kakamwa and Tom Gwebayanga.
*****
Electoral commission Chairperson Badru Kiggundu has apologized to Ugandans for election anomalies.
Speaking at the national tally centre at Mandela National stadium Namboole, Kiggundu condemned cases of violence across the country.
He particularly castigated the violence in Budadiri west in Sironko district where a Journalist was shot. He is undergoing treatment at a nearby health centre. Picture above shows MP Nandala Mafabi (holding a berret) in the middle of the Budadiri fighting.
In some areas voting started late due to late delivery of election materials.
Some voters had their names missing on the voter register. Two Presidential candidates Kizza Besigye and Samuel Lubega were among the victims.
**(see www.elections2011.co.ug for related election stories)
Ibanda
On Thursday night, the Police detained Ibanda North Independent parliamentary candidate, Major Guma Gumisiriza, in connection with the Thursday murder of a supporter of his opponent, Xavier Kyoma, the NRM candidate.As voting started on Friday day morning, Gumisiriza was still in detention at the Mbarara regional headquarters of South Western region. Gumisiriza’s car ran over Moses Inebyona at about 11:00am on Thursday.
Whereas Gumisiriza says it was an accident, the Police are not ruling out murder.
“We are still holding him as we continue with investigations,†Polly Namaye, the South Western Police spokesperson said yesterday.
A total of six people were arrested in connection with the incident.
Kyoma trounced Gumisiriza in NRM party primaries, prompting the latter to vie as an independent candidate.
Ntungamo
The Police arrested 26 supporters of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party on grounds that they were soliciting for votes after the campaigning period came to an end. Polly Namaye said they were found campaigning at around 9:00pm on Wednesday night.
“When the Police got the information, we rushed there, but they became violent and beat up policemen. It is a criminal offence and they are going to be taken to court,†she said.
Namaye added the 26 people were also found bribing voters and training vote protection squad, a group which she termed as Anti-Kiboko Squad, which she said bent on causing violence.
Iganga
FDC supporters in Iganga Municipality housing estate detained eight Policemen and their patrol pick-up for about four hours on Thursday night. The FDC supporters also smashed the windscreen of the vehicle, UP 0350.
While the party supporters said they caught the cops bribing voters with sugar and salt, Police officials said they were on normal patrol.
“The policemen were on duty only for rowdy FDC supporters to smash their car’s windscreen. They forced the van and the cops into the compound of parliamentary candidate Abed Mudiobole (FDC),†said David Manzi, the Iganga district Police chief.
According to Manzi, the Police moved in and secured the release of the car and the cops.
Tororo
Forty-two people were arrested in Tororo and Malaba towns on various crimes related to election violence. Michael Odongo, the Police spokesperson for zone 13 in Tororo, said the arrested had dangerous weapons, including pangas, slashers, clubs, bows and arrows.
Odongo said most of the suspects were involved in chaotic clashes between the supporters of incumbent MP Sanjay Tanna and his opponent, Yeri Apollo Ofwono. He added that they had also staged roadblocks to various roads leading into the town.
Odongo said despite the chaos in the municipality, the other districts in the zone were peaceful. The zone comprises Tororo, Busia, Butaleja, Budaka and Pallisa districts.
He added that more security officer would be recalled from the peaceful district to beef up the security in the municipality ahead of the ballot count that starts at 5:00pm.
Meanwhile, violence erupted at Elgon View Primary School polling station in Tororo Municipality after supporters of incumbent MP, Sanjay Tanna, and arch-rival Apollo Ofwono Yeri, engaged in a fight.
Sanjay’s supporters turned rowdy when two buses, UAK 519T and UAN 687F, carrying Makerere University students arrived at the school in Tororo Municipality. Tanna’s supporters confronted the new arrivals and a fist-fight ensued. Armed security personnel shot in the air to quell the confusion.
The Police later established that the bus occupants were Makerere University students and eligible voters of the municipality. The students, in the company of Prof. Tanga Odoi, were allowed to vote.
Kamuli
Lands state minister Asuman Kiyingi was nearly arrested after he wrongfully confiscated voting materials at Buwaibale polling station in Kitayunjwa sub-county and took them to the Police. He alleged that voting had started before the gazetted time, but the Police established that it was not true. When the Police tried to arrest him for providing wrong information, he dashed into his car and sped off. The voting materials were returned to the polling station.
“Maybe the minister acted out of anxiety or misinformation to grab the materials. Otherwise there was no malpractice at the station,†the district Police commander, Musa Nabende, said.
Kiyingi, who was defeated in the NRM primaries, ran as an independent for the Bugabula South parliamentary seat.
In a separate incident, minister Kiyingi’s brother, Zakaria Bossa Kiyingi, sustained a broken arm after he was allegedly stoned during a scuffle in Namisambya Primary School between supporters of two different camps.
Bossa, who was rushed to a hospital for treatment, later told journalists that his brother’s political rival, Henry Maurice Kibalya of NRM, threw a huge stone that broke his arm.
Kibalya could, however, not be reached for a comment.
Lwakhakha
Heavily-armed security personnel in Lwakhakha engaged in a verbal confrontation with dozens of Kenyans who were attempting to cross into Uganda allegedly to vote for Simon Mulongo, the NRM flag-bearer for Bubulo East. The group kept chanting Mulongo’s name. They insisted they were Ugandans living in Kenya.
Budadiri
In Budadiri West, there was a scuffle involving the incumbent, Nathan Nandala Mafabi, who is tussling it out with Beatrice Wabudeya, the Minister for the Presidency.
Buliisa
Two people, David Mugabo and Sylvester Mugabe, were nabbed as they allegedly gave money to people in Kalengejja. The recipients were asked to vote for area MP, Steven Mukitale Birahwaa.
According to the mid-western Police publicist, Zurah Ganyana, the Police recovered sh53,000 and sh3,000 from Mugabo and Mugambe from their pockets respectively.
Other residents, Godfrey Mugisha and David Aribo were led to the police cells after they whipped people in Kalengejja. They reportedly targeted those who did not support Birahwaa.
Godfrey Tekimanya, Bright Atugonza and Robert Abitegeka, all Buliisa residents, were netted over unclear possession of a knife. The seven suspects had Birahwaa’s appointment letters.
Serere
In Kamod, Serere district, Cpl. John Francis Olupot, was cut on the head as he tried to diffuse tension between NRM and FDC supporters shortly after midnight.
The deputy Police spokesperson, Vincent Ssekate, told Saturday Vision that the clashing people turned their anger on Olupot, hit him on the head and grabbed his gun.
Olupot’s gun was stolen, but recovered in a nearby bush.
Compiled by Herbert Ssempogo, Steven Candia, Paul Watala, Charles Kakamwa, Faustine Odeke, Moses Nampala, John Thawite, Abdulkarim Ssengendo, Mugisha Rwambuka, George Bita, Moses Nampala, Charles Kakamwa and Tom Gwebayanga.
*****
Electoral commission Chairperson Badru Kiggundu has apologized to Ugandans for election anomalies.
Speaking at the national tally centre at Mandela National stadium Namboole, Kiggundu condemned cases of violence across the country.
He particularly castigated the violence in Budadiri west in Sironko district where a Journalist was shot. He is undergoing treatment at a nearby health centre. Picture above shows MP Nandala Mafabi (holding a berret) in the middle of the Budadiri fighting.
In some areas voting started late due to late delivery of election materials.
Some voters had their names missing on the voter register. Two Presidential candidates Kizza Besigye and Samuel Lubega were among the victims.
**(see www.elections2011.co.ug for related election stories)