Army crackdown leaves 10 injured

MASINDI/KAMPALA.

Ten Opposition supporters sustained serious injuries after they were targeted by officers from Special Forces Command (SFC) and Military Police in local council elections in Wakiso and Masindi districts.

Two Opposition supporters were shot at by SFC soldiers in Entebbe Municipality on Wednesday as they protected a journalist who was being attacked by supporters of the ruling party at Katabi Polling Station.

The two Democratic Party supporters currently admitted to Grade B Hospital are Mr Ronald Bossa and Mr James Sewankambo. Mr Bossa was shot in the left leg and sustained a fracture while Mr Sewankambo was hit by a bullet in the lower abdomen.

Police speak out
The Entebbe Police Station officer in charge of investigations, Mr Joseph Sentamu, said an investigation to identify the shooters is ongoing.

“We have lined up eyewitnesses. We will record their statements to help us in our investigations,” Mr Ssentamu said yesterday.
DP candidate Vincent Kayanja was running against NRM’s Joseph Ssesanga in the Entebbe Municipality mayoral race that was won by the former.

This is the second time in a month that SFC soldiers are involved in shooting civilians. The first incident was at Lugogo Cricket Ground where a soldier with SFC shot and injured a boxing trainer last month.

Masindi chaos
In Masindi Municipality, eight people, including Mr Asuman Kiiza, a businessman in Masindi Town, Mr Robert Muhangi, a lecturer at Uganda Christian University, Masindi branch, and Mr Moses Muruli, a radio journalist, were injured as Military Police battled supporters of the Forum for Democratic Change.

FDC’s Joab Businge won the mayoral race with 6,784 votes followed by the incumbent, Mr Joshua Amanyire, who got 6,138 votes and ruling party candidate, Mr Ronald Kyomuhendo, came third with 5,694 votes.

But supporters of Mr Businge wanted to raid a radio station owned by State minister for Bunyoro Affairs Ernest Kiiza, which they alleged was broadcasting false results in favour of the NRM candidate. The confrontation turned rowdy, forcing the police and Military Police to shoot live bullets and beat FDC supporters to disperse them.

The Resident District Commissioner, Mr Godfrey Nyakahuma, later apologised for the Military Police’s actions.

Meanwhile, police also released Entebbe DP youth leader Mr Muhammud Muyomba following pressure from the general public and Mayor Kayanja De Paul's Office.
Mr Muyomba was arrested after he took to social media to criticize Special Forces Command (SFC) soldiers who fired into voters and injured two men Mr Ronald Bossa and Mr James Sewankambo during the local council elections.

"I castigated LC III candidate Michael Mutebi and the SFC soldiers who came in a white Ipsum with a covered number plate and opened fire on innocent citizens who were exercising their right to vote at St Joseph Primary School Katabi were by I was the supervisor of the polling station" he said after his release.

Reported by George Muzoora, Paul Adude & Andrew Bagala