RDC Narrates Rukungiri Clash

By Grace Matsiko Rukungiri Resident District Commissioner Mrs. Aline Mary Kemerwa yesterday gave her account of the March 3 election violence in the town in which a supporter of presidential candidate Kizza Besigye died and scores were injured. Kemerwa, the district security committee chairperson, blamed the lawlessness on Besigye's supporters whom she said provoked security. Below is her account: "On March 3, Besigye addressed a rally in Rukungiri stadium, beginning at 5:45pm till 6:30pm, His motorcade started streaming out of the stadium. The Police and army were conducting joint patrols in town. Candidate Museveni's supporters donning T-shirts of their candidate were standing in front of their task force offices at Agip Petrol Station. Besigye's supporters from the stadium on foot and in vehicles threw stones at Museveni's supporters, two of whom were hit and injured, including a woman and a boy who were evacuated and taken to hospital from Agip Petrol station. The security forces came nearer from their temporary patrol base after sensing that the situation would become worse. Stones were also thrown by the Besigye supporters at the security personnel, who had converged at the station. Besigye crowds continued advancing. The soldiers could not wait for the situation to explode and shot in the air, which made the crowds of Besigye supporters disperse towards the stadium. When the situation cooled down, an unidentified male adult person was found dead and the body taken to Nyakibale hospital mortuary. Other people also got injured in the stampede. Similarly, when Besigye was entering Rukungiri on the evening of March 2, his supporters aboard vehicles threw stones and bottles at security on joint patrol. Four soldiers of 2nd Division garrison and one Police constable were injured. Three of the soldiers are still admitted to Nyakibale Hospital. The case was reported to the Police. Mr. Bwandondo's vehicle hindscreen was smashed by Besigye supporters entering the town. They also tore a poster of Museveni plastered on this vehicle. He also reported the case to Police that evening. The registration number of Mr. Bwadondo's vehicle is UAB 331 while the one of the assailants was UBD 166. On February 21, Richard Bashaija, an ardent Besigye supporter, instigated an illegal procession in Rukungiri town, which was quelled by the anti-riot Police. He concocted a lie that he had been smeared with mud in Kanungu and buried in a freshly dug pit for six hours by the deputy RDC, Mugisha Muhwezi. He declined to lead the Police to the scene of crime or undergo a medical check to authenticate his claims. On February 22, 2001, Besigye supporters namely, Levi and Mwanza, using Makuru's vehicle drove to Kazindaro in Bikurungu with the intention of visiting harm on one Oswald Bindeba, a supporter of Museveni. When they failed to break-in, they vandalised his vehicle parked outside. Makuru's vehicle was positively identified by some witnesses and was impounded and taken to the Police but was later released. On February 25, a meeting was held by Besigye operatives chaired by Richard Bashaija in which he said all the roads leading to Rukungiri be planted with nails to deflate vehicle tyres and cause fear and delegitimise the electoral process. I would like to assure the public that the situation is under control. This incident is unfortunate but was inevitable given the blatant provocation by Besigye supporters who should be restrained by their leaders to ensure a peaceful election and avoid such incidents in future. Ends