The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Mayuge, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Several voters in Bunya East constituency in Mayuge district have implicated their Member of Parliament, Waira Majegere for instigating violence against the supporters of his rival in the just-concluded parliamentary elections.
Testifying before the Human Rights Committee of parliament on Tuesday sitting at Mayuge district headquarters, some voter still nursing injuries accused the legislator of deploying drunken campaign agents to hurl stones at the supporters of his opponents in the middle of the night and at times during daytime.
Some of the witnesses claimed that Majegere used to travel in a convoy of four pickups, which could patrol different villages with the aim of hunting down those opposed to his candidature. Aziza Magumba, a fuel trader in Mpungwe trading center, alleged that Majegere’s supporters attacked her on December 17th, 2020 and took off with Shillings four million after battered her unsparingly.
She revealed that it took the intervention of onlookers to rescue her. Magumba says that she reported the matter to the police, which prompted Majegere to compensate her for the losses incurred. She, however, says that after losing the elections, Majegere and his supporters have continued to threaten her.
David Munobwa, a resident of Kasutaime village says that his wife lost her uterus after being battered by Majegere’s supporters. Munobwa says that Majegere has personally threatened to harm him if he does not desist from pursuing the case in courts of law.
Yahaya Kabodha, a resident of Isenda village in Kigandalo Sub County says that he had gone to attend a political rally on Dec 9th, 2020 but when he raised his hand to inquire about the efforts of their MP to curb unemployment, Majegere instead accused him of spying on them, prompting his supporters to gang up against him. Kabodha lost his left eye in the scuffle and is yet to get justice.
Edward Gavamukulya, the Kigandalo sub county district councillor says that the rivalry between the Bunya East MP-elect, James Kubeketerya and Majegere began during the 2016 general elections.
He says that due to lack of civic education, the same chaos was witnessed in the January elections.
Gavamukulya faults Majegere for purchasing alcohol and marijuana for his youthful supporters, which might have influenced them into engaging in acts of violence.
Majegere denied all the allegations levelled against him but declined to divulge into details.
The committee’s vice-chairperson, Agnes Wejuli says that there is a need for comprehensive civic education so as to avert cases of violence during future electoral cycles.
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