Voter shot in chaotic Mbale by-election

Mbale

What was a largely peaceful Mbale Municipality by-election turned chaotic yesterday afternoon when a minister’s bodyguard allegedly shot a supporter of Dr Shinyabulo Mutende, the NRM independent candidate.

Trouble, according to eyewitnesses, began when a car carrying state ministers Michael Werikhe (housing), Asuman Kiyingi (lands) and Workers’ MP Sam Lyomoki blockaded a vehicle carrying Dr Mutende’s supporters on Naboa Road. The ministers were campaigning for the official NRM candidate, Mr John Wambogo.

The two groups had a standoff, with each refusing to give way. In the melee, Dr Mutende’s supporters reportedly opted to swerve past the ministers’ car—but in the process, brushed the posh Pajero land cruiser.

According to Dr Lyomoki, their bodyguard was forced to shoot because Mr Mutende’s supporters were scampering after damaging the politician’s car. “Our bodyguard shot but in the air, not at them,” Dr Lyomoki told Daily Monitor yesterday.

Incensed Mr Mutende’s supporters, led by Mbale District Chairman Bernard Mujasi then stormed the Mbale Central Police Station, demanding the ministers’ arrest. In their company was a bleeding Abdullah Kayiwa, the supporter allegedly shot by Werikhe’s bodyguard. “We have been fighting for democracy. These wrong elements within the NRM party are trying to derail us by causing chaos. Is this the democracy we have been fighting for? How does a prominent person like Werikhe do that to his own people?” Mr Mujasi asked at the police station

The bleeding Kayiwa was then rushed to Mbale Hospital in a police pick-up. When Daily Monitor visited him minutes later, he was being attended to by a nurse. A policewoman deployed to watch over him at the hospital told this newspaper that she was under instructions not to let anyone talk to Mr Kayiwa.

Mr Iddi Ssenkumbi, the eastern region police spokesperson, said the bodyguard had been arrested and the Force was still investigating the matter. “We have to come to the bottom of this case. They have recorded statements at the police,” Mr Ssekumbi told journalists.

For a by-election that had received a lot of media hype, caused a late appearance of the President, seen a district chairman break away from his party to support an independent candidate—one would have expected a massive turn out of voters to make a final statement on what had been a month-long political drama. But that was not the case in Mbale Municipality yesterday.

Whereas polling stations had opened by 7.30am, by midday, barely one third of the 20,661 voters had turned out to vote at the 72 polling centres.

The reasons were as various as the players. They ranged from poor voter sensitisation, missing names in the register to fears of violence and weather vagaries. “We started early in the morning but voters are trickling in slowly hopefully by afternoon the numbers will have increased,” said Mr Joseph Biribonwa of the Electoral Commission interviewed in the early hours.

The FDC flag bearer, Mr Jack Wamanga Wamai, who cast his vote at Fairway Primary School, said the updated voters register had not been given to the parties early enough. He also pointed at the heavy deployment of security personnel as not just a deterrent to his supporters but a cover for the ruling party to rig.

Hidden ballot box
At Busamaga polling station, voting came to a temporary halt when FDC strongman Nandala Mafabi and his supporters allegedly “discovered” a ballot box stashed in a nearby cassava garden. There were claims of another ballot box being hidden in a church. But Mr Tom Buruku, an electoral commissioner, told Daily Monitor that the Busamaga incident was blown out of proportion.

“That was a new polling station created after we created new wards. The law demands that when you create a new ward, you must have a polling station. Residents had been sensitised about this new polling station and there was no need for the confusion,” he said.