Two killed in Namayingo fracas

monitor.co.ug

September 13 2010 at 00:00

Namayingo

Violence has persisted in the NRM primary elections in Namayingo District. Two people were reportedly killed in election-related violence yesterday and the vehicle of the incumbent MP, Mr Patrick Ochieng, set ablaze.

“I have been informed about the violence. I am told two people have lost their lives in the afternoon fury but right now I am at Namboole which makes it hard for me to comment authoritatively,” the District Chairperson, Mr Suleiman Byavala, said in a phone interview yesterday.

The race for NRM parliamentary flag bearer in the newly-created district, which consists only Bukhooli South constituency was between the current LC3 chairperson, Mr Stephen Mayende, and Mr Ochieng.

The south eastern region police spokesperson, Mr Samson Lubega, confirmed the violence.
“After Saturday’s voting in Namayingo District, results could not be announced because it was late. On Sunday afternoon, the chaos broke out following complaints that results had been delayed with intensions of rigging them. The incumbent MP’s car was burnt. Furniture and computers among other things were destroyed,” he said.

Mr Lubega said: “No arrests have been made in relation to the violence but police has exerted their presence on ground and calm has been restored.” He, however said only the death of one person, Karim Kakaire, a bicycle mechanic, has been confirmed.

Efforts to get comments from Mr Ochieng and Mr Mayende were futile by press time as neither could answer our calls. The announcement of results has been indefinitely postponed.
The deputy regional police commander, south eastern region, Mr Ananias Ochen, said calm has been restored and investigations into the violence are underway.

One killed, MP loses car in poll riots

newvision.co.ug

Sunday, 12th September, 2010

SPORADIC gunfire rocked Namayingo district Police Station yesterday as results for the Bukholi South NRM parliamentary flag bearer were being announced.

Enraged voters, who had waited for two days for the results to be declared, accused the incumbent MP, Patrick Ochieng, of conniving with the district

According the district councillor, Eriab Bwire Kokum, the charged crowd became impatient and attacked the district registrar David Otabong to declare the results.

“As the results were being read, commotion emerged among the camps of the three aspirants forcing police to fire in the air,” said Okumu

Eyewitnesses said three people were shot dead in the scuffle but the district police chief Ben Okaye said only one person was shot.

“Only one person was shot by a stray bullet and he died. Others are injured,” said the DPC. He couldn’t put the number of the injured by press time though eyewitnesses put the figures to 32.

Okaye who talked with difficult described the situation in Namayingo as “out of hand”. “I have ordered for more reinforcement from Bugiri. Every body is fighting here,” he said.

He identified the dead as Kakaire Twahir a bicycle repairer in Namayingo. Kakaire was hit by the stray bullet in his verandah where he repairs the bikes.

He said the charged crowd later regrouped and stormed the police station where they torched Ochieng’s car registration UAL 119F.

Namayingo RDC Margaret Mwanamaiza told New Vision that the violence had now turned ethnical.

“I had to run for my dear life. As I talk now I am in Bugiri. The situation is bad. I had to order for reinforcement from Bugiri police headquarters,” she said.

“The war has now turned between the supporters of incumbent Patrick Ochieng who are the Jopadholas and the Samia from the other two rival camps,” she said.

Mwanamaiza said when Ocheing’s supporters realized that their camp was losing they became violent.

The contest was between Steven Mayende Dede who got 17,278 votes, Patrick Ochieng 16,278, Innocent Matyoli 589 and John Wandera Julius 532.

Matyoli and Wandera both conceded defeat and promised to work with Dede.

~ par Alain Bertho sur 13 septembre 2010.

Publié dans émeutes, riots