Two men are currently receiving treatment for gunshot wounds at Jinja regional referral hospital after police fired live ammunition to quell violent clashes between supporters of rival parliamentary candidates in Butembe Constituency, Jinja district.
The injured men, Asuman Balikowa and Musa Musana, were initially taken to Busede health centre III before being referred to the hospital’s emergency unit for specialised care.
One of the emergency medical responders said the two are responding to treatment, with doctors giving them an estimated 70 per cent chance of full recovery. The violence erupted on Monday evening in Kigalagala village, Busede sub-county, during campaign activities by Shaban Okumu, an NRM-leaning independent candidate.
Eyewitnesses said the situation had remained calm throughout the day as Okumu conducted door-to-door campaigns. Tensions escalated later in the evening when he attempted to address supporters at a mini rally at Kigalagala trading centre, located about 200 metres from the birthplace of Jacob Kabondo, the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag bearer.
As Okumu prepared to speak to a crowd estimated at about 600 people, a group of roughly 20 youths, allegedly aligned to Kabondo, began pelting stones at the gathering. The confrontation reportedly lasted about five minutes before members of Okumu’s team retaliated, triggering fistfights.
The disorder escalated for another 15 minutes before police intervened. Officers initially fired two live rounds into the air to disperse the crowd, but the clashes continued. Some youths allegedly persisted in throwing stones at police, prompting officers to fire directly, during which the two men were injured.
Kiira regional police spokesperson James Mubi confirmed that Balikowa and Musana were hit by stray bullets during the incident. He said investigations are ongoing, adding that detectives have been dispatched to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the violence.
The Butembe parliamentary contest has attracted six candidates: Maria Natabi of the National Unity Platform (NUP), Jacob Kabondo of the NRM, Kiirya Wanzala of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Hannington Basakana of the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT), and independent candidates Shaban Okumu and Charles Kabule.
Campaigns by the other candidates have largely remained peaceful, with most tensions reportedly centred on the rivalry between the camps of Kabondo and Okumu. Both sides have been accused of mobilising groups of rowdy youths, locally known as “egali”, who present themselves as informal security outfits defending their preferred candidates.
Okumu, who hails from Kakira, accused Kabondo of deliberately blocking his campaign activities in Busede by mobilising youths to disrupt his meetings. He said the hostility forced him to scale down public rallies in favour of door-to-door campaigns and small evening engagements.
Kabondo, however, denied the accusations, saying he does not condone violence and remains committed to peaceful campaigning. Okumu has since called on security agencies to rein in youth gangs that, he says, threaten to undermine lawful electoral activities as the campaigns continue.
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