My life is in danger, says defeated Fungaro

 The incumbent Member of Parliament for Obongi, Mr Fungaro Kaps Hassan, has said his life is in danger, three days after losing the parliamentary elections.

Mr Fungaro was arrested on the eve of the election following alleged harassment by security officials.
One of the MP’s supporters was shot dead allegedly by the army.

“Why are the police and the army still following me yet they rigged me out of the race? I fear for my life and the family members and some of my team are not safe either,” Mr Fungaro told Daily Monitor  yesterday.

He said the heavy involvement of security personnel and the intimidation they caused discredited the electoral process in the constituency.

“This was a difficult and risky campaign and elections where we suffered from arrests, teargas and intimidation, especially of opposition in West Nile. Why should someone be killed because they do not support the ruling (National Resistance Movement) party?” the MP asked.

Mr Fungaro, who has represented Obongi for three terms, lost last week’s vote to NRM’s George Bhoka. 

Mr Gore Goffin, the Obongi Resident District Commissioner, accused Mr Fungaro of attempting to smuggle refugees to vote for him.

However, Mr Innocent Akena, the district returning officer, dismissed the RDC’s claim. 

“We went through various process before we came to the polling date…I don’t think the refugees have been registered for this exercise [election],” he said.

Dr Bhoka told this newspaper that the Thursday victory was not for himself but the people of Obongi.

“This victory is for the people of Obongi [and] not even for the NRM party,” said the ruling party flag bearer. This morning (yesterday), my wife told me to dress in the [NRM] party colour, but I told her, ‘no, I’m distancing myself from the party; I am phasing out from yellow [of the ruling party] to the colour white, which is neutral,”  he said.

Dr Bhoka, the former Adjumani District health officer,  promised to work with everyone in order to achieve post-election reconciliation and peace in Obongi. 

Mr Goffin asked the people of Obongi to “desist from being used by selfish individuals who want to incite the population and put their lives in danger [while] the perpetrators escape from the trouble”. 

He said police fired teargas and arrested suspected trouble causers after one of them pelted law enforcement officers with stones. 
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