Victims of violence during Uganda’s January 15 presidential and parliamentary elections in Rukungiri District are demanding justice, saying they were assaulted during campaigns and on polling day amid heightened political tensions.
At least 12 people, mainly from Rukungiri Municipality, sustained injuries in scuffles and attacks linked to the election period, according to victims who spoke during a press conference held on Monday at the home of Ingrid Kamateneti Turinawe, the losing PFF party candidate for Rukungiri Municipality.
The EC on Friday declared retired Lt Gen Henry Tumukunde winner of the contested election by a narrow margin of 847 votes.
Official results showed Lt Gen Tumukunde polling 7,115 votes against Kamateneti’s 6,268, while two independent candidates, Dr Wallen Nuwagaba and Richard Akanyijuka, received 297 and 53 votes respectively.
One of the election violence victims, Amos Karamuzi, 46, a resident of Kigaga Ward in Southern Division, said he was badly beaten by unknown assailants and left unconscious.
‘I can’t clearly tell the group of people who beat me up to the point of being hospitalised, but I suspect Gen Tumukunde’s people were behind my attack,’ Karamuzi said, recounting events of January 14, a day before polling.
He said a vehicle blocked his car as he was returning from the home of his candidate with colleagues.
‘A group of thugs beat my car with sticks, pinched the tyres. I had no option apart from getting out of the car and that’s how I was beaten to the extent of being hospitalised for three days,’ he said.
Karamuzi, who was contesting for Kigaga Ward municipal councillorship on the PFF ticket, said he regained consciousness at Nyikabale Hospital after being rescued by a Good Samaritan.
His left arm was broken and tied in a sling.
‘I really need justice. I can’t support myself because my left arm was broken and I am now grounded,’ he said.
Another victim, Dickson Ahumumuza, 23, who was travelling with Karamuzi, said their attackers denied pleas for mercy.
‘They crashed us seriously. later my friend Karamuzi lost consciousness and they left him on the road near his car to die,’ he said.
Ahumumuza claimed he was later threatened with a gun before being tied and abandoned.
‘We are all Ugandans and it is my right to support a candidate of my choice,’ he said, calling on the government to address the violence.
Boaz Kamusiime, another victim, said he was attacked while riding in the official vehicle of Kamateneti, which was later abandoned with items including agent appointment letters and money missing.
‘I know people who attacked me on the night of January 14 as I was doing my work of distributing appointment letters of agents,’ Kamusiime said.
Wilfred Karamira said he was attacked on polling day while carrying declaration forms for Kamateneti and presidential candidate Robert Kyagulanyi, adding that some forms were taken even after he sought refuge at Rukungiri Central Police Station.
While the Gen Tumukunde camp didn’t immediately react to the allegations, Rukungiri District Police Commander SSP Brian Ampire said police were following up the cases.
‘As police we are doing all it takes to maintain law and order in the district and at the moment the situation is normal,’ he noted.
Under Uganda’s Parliamentary Elections Act 2001, participation in election violence is punishable by a fine, imprisonment, or both.