Violence mars Kira polls
Mar 10, 2006
AS the national polls come to a close, the LC3 election in Kira town council yesterday saw scuffles between supporters of the hotly contested seat in Wakiso district.
By Halima Shaban and Juliet Waiswa
AS the national polls come to a close, the LC3 election in Kira town council yesterday saw scuffles between supporters of the hotly contested seat in Wakiso district.
Supporters of the incumbent mayor, Mamerto Mugerwa, and his opponent, Gaster Erinsiti Mukasa, attacked each other over allegations that the LC1 chairman of Bweyogerere central Zone, Topher Nakibinge, was campaigning for Mukasa at the polling station.
“I was at my hotel when I got a phone call from one of my agents informing me of people campaigning at the polling station. So I rushed to the scene where I found the LC1 dishing out money to voters to vote for my opponent,†Mamerto said.
Mamerto, who had cast his vote at 8:30am at the same station, deployed LDUs to disperse the angry crowds.
Nakibinge, however, said he was ensuring that voters were in proper lines.
In Kirema zone, Kireka, rehabilitation Centre polling station, where Mukasa cast his vote, residents and polling agents clashed and beat up a resident Rosemary Namusisi. Angry residents threw her out of the polling station accusing her of campaigning for Mamerto. It was the intervention of the Police that calmed down the situation.
Ends
AS the national polls come to a close, the LC3 election in Kira town council yesterday saw scuffles between supporters of the hotly contested seat in Wakiso district.
Supporters of the incumbent mayor, Mamerto Mugerwa, and his opponent, Gaster Erinsiti Mukasa, attacked each other over allegations that the LC1 chairman of Bweyogerere central Zone, Topher Nakibinge, was campaigning for Mukasa at the polling station.
“I was at my hotel when I got a phone call from one of my agents informing me of people campaigning at the polling station. So I rushed to the scene where I found the LC1 dishing out money to voters to vote for my opponent,†Mamerto said.
Mamerto, who had cast his vote at 8:30am at the same station, deployed LDUs to disperse the angry crowds.
Nakibinge, however, said he was ensuring that voters were in proper lines.
In Kirema zone, Kireka, rehabilitation Centre polling station, where Mukasa cast his vote, residents and polling agents clashed and beat up a resident Rosemary Namusisi. Angry residents threw her out of the polling station accusing her of campaigning for Mamerto. It was the intervention of the Police that calmed down the situation.
Ends