The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have come under fire from the opposition and National Resistance Movement-NRM party candidates in Kyotera district for alleged failure to contain the electoral violence there. Candidates from the rival political camps have been trading accusations for the electoral violence.
However, the rival groups accuse police of looking on as the brutal attacks on innocent people are happening. This follows the death of Richard Kayabula, a resident of Mabunwe-Ntovu village in Nakatoogo parish, Nabigasa sub-county.
Kayabula was hit by a stray bullet as police tried to stop clashes involving NRM and Democratic Party supporters at Nakatoogo trading center on Friday last week. Politicians across the political divide have since faulted Judith Akello, the Kyotera District Police Commander (DPC) for failing to offer any explanation of the incident, which has fueled anger.
They want Akello investigated saying the bullet that killed Kayabula was fired by a police officer under her command. Henry Ssemakula, one of the campaigners of John Paul Mpalanyi, who is running for the Kyotera County parliamentary seat says they want all the police officers who were involved in the operation that day Kayabula was killed investigated.
The other opposition members accuse the Micro Finance State Minister and incumbent Kyotera County Member of Parliament Haruna Kyeyune Kasolo of using police and his bodyguards to mistreat them but their cases are never recorded by police.
The NRM leadership has also blamed the mess on police failure to come out clearly on the past and recent incidents in which several people have been attacked. Josephine Nabakooza, the Kyotera NRM political commissar wants the DPC to issue a statement about the shooting incident to clear their doubt.
Nabakooza claims that there is a section of police and other security officers who are opposed to NRM and commit crime to tarnish their party name.
Enos Mugisha, the Kyotera NRM vice chairperson has also appealed to police to come out with a report on the election violence in the district. He explains that police’s failure to contain the clashes has claimed the life of one person and left several others nursing injuries.
Enoch Abaine, the greater Masaka Region Police Commander-RPC says they are investigating various cases in which several people were attacked in clashes between the rival parties. He says they will also investigate police officers including the DPC and Minister Kasolo’s bodyguards to establish the person who shot and killed Kayabula.
He says they have already arrested their officers who were involved in the operation to aid on the ongoing investigations.
He condemned the clashes over voters that have led to loss of lives and injuries and called for calm.
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