Did assault hand Wembabazi victory?

Beatrice Wembabazi aka Teacher Mummy was on the campaign trail as the NRM 2021 flag-bearer elections got closer. When she met supporters of her rival, a fight ensued.

Wembabazi was allegedly attacked by Henry Gama, the driver and chief campaigner of the incumbent District Woman Member of Parliament (MP), Harriet Mugenyi Businge.

The Police said eyewitness accounts indicate that Gama blocked the convoy of Wembabazi near Kiryatete landing site on the shores of Lake Albert.

She was coming from campaigning at Runga landing site in Kigorobya subcounty. Gama, who is still at large, is wanted by the Police on charges of assaulting Julius Birungi, the driver of Wembabazi.

WEMBABAZI NARRATES ORDEAL
 "He (Gama) said we were rebels who deserve to be killed. He came to my driver's seat and asked for the keys of my car. When the driver refused to give him the keys, he started beating   "That is the last I heard. I regained consciousness in the hospital," she says.

Two weeks later, Wembabazi still walks on crutches. After the incident, she got admitted to Edpa Clinic in Hoima city, Hoima district and was later transferred to Mulago Hospital. A case of assault against Wembabazi was filed under reference number SD 58/8/08/20 at Hoima Police Station.

 The Police released Businge's political assistant, Rachael Asiimwe, on bond. Asiimwe is alleged to have also been involved in the attack. Wembabazi, who was discharged fi ve days before voting, defeated Businge. Observers in Hoima politics say, although she had massive support, the assault incident seems to have played in her favour.

 "In the last days of her campaign, she struggled, with difficulty, to meet her supporters. She would not stand on her own and this drew a lot of sympathy for her," one of the residents said. "The media made it a meal on the menu of their news bulletins, and, as a result, she became popular," an analyst said.

Wembabazi was declared the winner by the Hoima district NRM election officer, Brian Mugenyi, recently, at Kitara Secondary School in Hoima. This was after she garnered 13,970 votes against Businge's 12,387 votes. Juliet Asiimwe, who contested for the same seat, came third with 484 votes.

Although Wembabazi attributes her victory to the voters seeing maturity and good leadership in her, other people who spoke to New Vision thought otherwise. During the campaigns, Businge was remorseful about the assault and said she was not responsible for the attack. Wembabazi's campaign agents exploited the assault, saying Businge wanted to win at all costs. Wembabazi, 34, a teacher by profession, said: "The manifesto I had was splendid.

As a leader, I had to be creative," Wembabazi said. She added that she had the win even before the scuffl e happened. "That is why I was attacked. Why didn't they assault another candidate?" Wembabazi asked. On the way forward for the case, Wembabazi said: "That is a Police matter. It is God to forgive them. I cannot settle matters outside court when nobody has come to me to ask for forgiveness."