NRM polls: RDC grabbed by the neck as Ssekikubo, Gen Rwashande supporters fight

Sembabule   Resident District Commissioner, Ms Jane Frances Kagaayi, Thursday evening survived being beaten up by rowdy supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) after halting an election exercise for party village structure at Kanoni Village, Ntuusi Town Council, Lwemiyaga County.

Trouble started when party members started lining up behind one of the candidates, Vincent Mutebi aka Sukuma, before verifying their names in the party register. This prompted Ms Kagaayi ,who was in the area as head of security in the district to ensure a smooth exercise, to halt the process. This seems to have annoyed Frank Nkunda, the chairperson of Kigabagaba Village, who confronted the RDC and grabbed her by the neck as the crowd cheered him. Nkunda’s group which was armed with clubs had already chased away supporters of another candidate –Lawrence Muwonge from the polling station at Kanoni Church of Uganda. Muwonge is backed by Lwemiyaga County legislator Theodore Ssekikubo.

At this moment, supporters of retired soldier Brig Emmanuel Rwanshande, who is eying Lwemiyaga County parliamentary seat started hurling insults at Ssekikubo, saying he should leave the polling station –something he refused to do.

A visibly charged Ssekikubo instead moved closer towards Brig Rwashande and shoved him, nearly falling to the ground and the latter was only saved by his armed bodyguards. All this fracas happened as Sembabule District Security Officer, Lt. Denis Kutamba and District Police Commander Livingstone Twazaye looked on.

To avert the physical confrontation from degenerating into a full- blown violence Yosam Tayebwa the acting Lwemiyaga Sub County registrar, unceremoniously suspended the whole exercise, accusing Brig. Rwanshade’s supporters of causing chaos.

“We cannot proceed like this when safety of voters and other officials here is not guaranteed, another day will chosen to hold the polls,” he said  
Brig Rwasahande blamed the chaos on  RDC Kagaayi whom he accused of conniving with Ssekikubo to undermine the will of the people of Lwemiyaga.

“ Ssekikubo should accept that he has not performed to the expectations of the people of Lwemiyaga in the last 25 years, and locals now want to see a new face with  experience to cause change they have been yearning for ,” he said.

On her part, Ms Kagaayi urged leaders in the districts to desist from fanning violence among the electorate.
“ My role as RDC is to ensure that there is harmony and peace as people elect their new leaders, but some powerful people think they will step on my toes and stop me from executing my mandate. I will not tolerate that ,”she vowed .
Ssekikubo blamed the chaos on Brig Rwashande, saying he was determined to do everything within his reach to enter Parliament.

“The party organised these elections to ensure that the will of the people prevails, but Brig Rwashande is acting with impurity to defeat democracy. President Museveni, who is also the national chairman of NRM, should swiftly prevail over his retired army officer and save the image of our party,” he said.

This is the second time the NRM village elections at Kanoni Village have been deferred. Seven other villages, including Bugorogoro, Kampala, Kirega, Kawanda, Kasambya, Sagazi Ntyazo and Suura also faced the same fate .
NRM conducted its nationwide village polls on Tuesday but in some areas, including Lwemiyaga County, Sembabule District, elections did not take place in some villages after chaos broke out.

Two days after the polls, the NRM Secretariat suspended the use of yellow booklets (where nominated candidates are registered)  in the 133 villages of Lwemiyaga County following reports that they had been falsified. The booklets are currently with the police as exhibits as investigations into the matter continues. 

Candidates were instead asked to register afresh on the polling day(Tuesday)  , and Mr Fred Bogere Matovu, the NRM registrar for Lwemiyaga Sub County and the party election  coordinator for  all the five sub countries in Lwemiyiga  was dismissed .