Eight Shot Dead

By Vision Reporters AT least eight people were reported shot dead yesterday in election violence nationwide, the Police said. State minister for gender Vincent Nyanzi was held by the Police in Mityana after his bodyguard reportedly shot and seriously injured a supporter of his rival. But supporters of his rival, Joseph Musoke, said Nyanzi himself shot Vincent Mweseza, a hairdresser. In Buwalasi sub-county, Sironko, an LCI official, Peter Masaba, was also killed by an irate mob for reportedly distributing ballot papers illegally. Some reports said six of the eight people killed were shot by a bodyguard of candidate Simon Mulongo, the Hoima RDC, in Buwabwala, Lwakhakha in Bubulo East, Mbale but Mulongo said five of the dead were his monitors. He said he was detained by Police in Mbale town then set free. Four other people sustained injuries and were rushed to Mbale Hospital. An angry mob disarmed Mulongo's bodyguard before killing him. One of the dead was reportedly a brother to one of candidates. Electoral commissioner Ted Wamusi told AFP that the Police had counted five bodies of people allegedly shot by Mulongo's bodyguard following an argument. The Mbale district Police commander, Mr. Oire Eyagu, said, "The reports I am getting from people vary. Others said seven and others said three but we have deployed Police to assess the situation." Mbale district LC5 chairman,Charles Walimbwa, said he had reported suspected violence in the area but security organs ignored his reports. "Now we have six Ugandans killed yet I told them yesterday that the situation was likely to go out of hand," he said. Both military Police and anti-riot Police were heavily deployed in the area yesterday. He was shot three times in the head at 12:45pm at Soweto. Ends