A group of National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters loyal to Butembe parliamentary aspirant Shaban Okumu on Tuesday stormed Kakira Central Police Station, accusing officers of failing to contain ongoing election-related violence.
They allege that supporters of Okumu’s rival, Charles Kabule—who also serves as Kakira LCIII Chairperson—have continued to launch violent attacks against them, especially at night, using sharp objects.
The complainants also claim that Kabule’s supporters disguise themselves in Okumu-branded T-shirts to frame his camp for the violence. The group says this tactic has tarnished Okumu’s image, despite his campaign team preaching peaceful elections.
Manvita Zawedde, one of the complainants, says Kabule’s supporters target homes of known Okumu loyalists and violently assault anyone who declares support for him.
Zawedde says the past week of intensified campaigns has seen a rise in violent incidents, yet the perpetrators remain at large, forcing victims to consider fleeing their homes. Another supporter, Annet Apio, says Kabule’s camp carries out daily attacks in the early hours, and even arrests rival supporters without police intervention.
She claims that in a bid to demonstrate the ongoing aggression, Okumu supporters apprehended five men they say were armed with machetes and openly bragging about their victory plans. Apio also condemned the verbal abuse hurled at them, often in front of their children.
Hellen Mwesigwa adds that the violence has now spilled into daytime, with their campaign teams being stoned during motorized rallies. She accuses Kabule’s team of using a vehicle registration number UAZ 296H to transport machete-wielding youths who carry out the attacks.
Kabule, however, dismissed the accusations as baseless and politically motivated. He insists that his supporters have also been attacked and that he informed police, leading to five arrests. Kabule attributes the escalating tensions to what he terms the NRM party leadership’s failure to intervene in Butembe constituency, unlike in other areas.
Meanwhile, Kiira Regional Police Commander Charles Nsaba confirmed that police held a harmonization meeting between both camps, urging them to preach peace among their supporters. He said security has been reinforced in Kakira to prevent further violence. Nsaba also warned the public against storming police stations or causing chaos, as such actions could lead to regrettable consequences.