Why NRM party supporters turned violent in Koboko
Protest. A protester stands besides a fire barricade in Koboko Town during the Sunday fracas. PHOTO | RASHUL ADIDI
The violence in Koboko town that led to the burning of bill-boards and smashing of Investment and Privatisation junior minister Evelyne Anite’s windows at home, have largely been blamed on bitter rivalry between her supporters and those of her opponents and alleged partiality of the police.
The Sunday scuffle saw some four police officers and three of the minister’s supporters injured after supporters of Dr Charles Ayume, who is contesting for the position of Koboko Municipality MP, clashed with the police as they marched in town.
The Rev Isaac Agele of Kuluba parish, who witnessed the drama, blamed the aspirants for failing to control their supporters.
“All that happened on Sunday was uncalled for and it had never happened in the history of Koboko. I do blame the two candidates to a greater extent, for failing to control their supporters. Even the police should have used a different approach to disperse the people,” the Rev Agele said.
A video that was shared widely on social media showed a procession of Minister Anite’s supporters at the weekend marching and chanting her name in show of support, totally disregarding the Covid -19 measures instituted by the government that bar big gatherings.
However, the minister has since denied having organised such a procession.
Ms Anite said the spontaneous procession was celebrating delivery of ambulances for Koboko Municipality.
In retaliation, her rival’s supporters organised a similar procession on Sunday.
Twelve people have since been arrested in connection with the violence.
Minister Anite and Dr Ayume, the assistant director of the Health Monitoring Unit in State House, are tussling it out in the NRM primaries for the Koboko Municipality seat.
Ms Sauda Avako, also a resident of Koboko Town, said some innocent civilians were caught up in the fracas.
“And usually the candidates will keep in their comfort zones enjoying the fight. The police should not act in a partisan way because if you saw the procession on Saturday, the supporters of Anite showed up in big numbers and were allowed to move freely. We want fairness in this election,” Ms Avako said.
Equally, Dr Ayume denied any involvement in organising his supporters to hold any processions.
“On the incident that happened on Sunday, I cannot speak with authority but I highly regret and condemn violence. When I left Koboko on Friday, there was no plan of having a procession and my camp wouldn’t have organised anything without my knowledge,” Dr Ayume said.
He added: “People assembled on their own and wanted answers since they believed there was a similar procession on Saturday where police didn’t stop the supporters (of his opponent),” he said.
Mr Samuel Abwang, the Koboko District police commander, denied the police took sides during the fracas.
“They smashed window glasses of two police vehicles and four of our officers were hit by stones. One of the officers sustained fracture on the hand, all of them are undergoing treatment,” he said.
