Police officers, led by the area Officer-in-Charge, attempted to restore order, but the crowd reportedly turned violent, pelting stones at both security personnel and election officials.
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National Resistance Movement village elections on Tuesday turned bloody leading to death of one person as several others sustained injuries.
The deceased was shot dead yet three others including a police officer were seriously injured as a result of violent clashes which erupted at Noor Islamic Primary Teachers College playground in Lumbuye Zone, in Bulanga Town Council, Luuka district.
According to Denis Kalyowa, the NRM registrar for Bulanga Town Council, this particular voting exercise was a rerun after similar chaos disrupted the initial exercise on Monday.
Tensions escalated when supporters of one of the candidates, Sulaiman Issebo, allegedly mobilised groups from outside the area and attacked election officials during the vote-counting process.
“The elections had been postponed to Tuesday due to previous disturbances on Monday. Unfortunately, candidate Sulaiman Issebo mobilised gangs who stormed the polling station and attacked the election officers,” Kalyowa said.
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Police officers, led by the area Officer-in-Charge, attempted to restore order, but the crowd reportedly turned violent, pelting stones at both security personnel and election officials.
In the resulting chaos, police fired live bullets to disperse the mob. In that process, one man, identified as Swaliki Lwayanga (30) was shot dead. Two others Ivan Oketch, a resident of Bulanga Central, and Peterson Nabugo, from Waina Village in Baitambogwe sub-county, Mayuge district sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to nearby health facilities.
A police officer, Sgt. Noah Kaleke, suffered a serious eye injury after being struck with a stone. Kaleke was referred to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.
Police have so far arrested one officer, Detective Constable Emojong Denis, to assist with investigations into the fatal shooting, which is being treated as a suspected case of murder by shooting.
The body of the deceased was taken to Iganga General Hospital mortuary for postmortem examination.
This incident adds to a growing list of violent episodes during Uganda’s party primary season and raises renewed concerns about the conduct and security of internal electoral processes.
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