NRM leaders disown man who feigned attack to attract Museveni’s attention

MBALE- Leaders of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) party in Mbale District have disowned a 37 –year-old man, who was allegedly attacked by unidentified people because he supports the party.

Mr Isaac Kitoogo, a resident of Nambozo Cell, Nkoma Ward in Mbale Municipality, was reportedly beaten and a 3-inch nail driven through his right cheek on Monday night.

He was admitted to Mbale General Clinic. On Tuesday evening, he was discharged.
However, during a press conference at the Office of Resident District Commissioner (RDC) in Mbale Town, the district party chairman, Mr Mahamood Masaba said that the victim is not a supporter of the party.

“After verification, we have confirmed that he is not our supporter. Therefore, in our district, we do not have any supporter or leader of NRM party, who was beaten,” Mr Masaba said.

He said the victim is not a resident of Mbale District.
The Resident District Commissioner (RDC), Mbale Mr Sulaimani Barassa Ogajjo, said that the victim fabricated the incident in order to attract President Museveni’s attention.

"I believe it was a fake deal. He wanted to get money from government after claiming he was attacked,” Mr Barassa.
He said the masquerader would be taken to Chief of Military Intelligence for further investigations.
Mr Barasa said a police surgeon, Dr Rubanza examined the victims and found a minor scar on his cheek.

Mr Kitoogo told Daily Monitor on Tuesday that he was ambushed by three men while on his way home at about 9 pm from Soweto in Nkoma Ward in Mbale Town.

Soweto is one the biggest slums in Mbale town.
He claimed that the attackers ordered him to stop praising President Museveni.

Mr Abdullah Magambo, one of the youth coordinators of People Power movement, said a group of NRM supporters had staged the incident to malign supporters of Opposition groups.

“We disassociate ourselves from violence. A section of NRM supporters and leaders had fabricated story to find a reason to attack and arrest whoever wears a red beret. But it’s good, they have realised that the trick could not work,” he said.
Elgon region police spokesperson, Mr Robert Tukei said police are investigating the matter.

Recently, a man who claimed to be an NRM supporter was reportedly attacked in Bwaise, Kampala by two men who drove two 6-inch nails in his hands for allegedly supporting the party.

Some party supporters led by Ms Justine Lumumba, the party secretary general visited him at Mulago Hospital and promised to transfer him to another health centre because some people were about to kidnap him from the national referral hospital.