The former Local Council one (LC 1) village chairperson and residents of Nalugala – Mawugulu Village, Katabi Town Council in Wakiso District have disputed the recent village polls, which was marred by soldiers beating up residents who had gathered at St. Charles Lwanga Catholic Church, Nalugala polling station.
Ms Mercy Mubiru, who recently underwent a C – Section revealed that the soldiers beat her up as she lined to in former chairperson Henry Galiwango’s line
“He hit in the stitched are, on the leg as he was about to hit me the third time, I grabbed the stick and asked him why he was beating me, what had done to him, yet am from a c -section, the soldier who was an SFC just said sorry” she narrated.
Ms Mubiru said she had undergone a TC scan recently, “I was told blood dripped into my bladder am required UGX 980,000 to start treatment which I don’t have. We were standing properly in Galiwango’s line, the soldier counted about 10 people after which he ordered us to join Pofia’s line, when we refused he pulled out stick and started beating us up simply because I was lining up behind my preferred candidate”.
Mr Maluunya Berbanado Salongo a senior citizen in the village noted that the residents weren’t given an opportunity to vote since a number of non-residents were allegedly ferried in buses to vote.
“We want justice in our village, we didn’t vote, they brought almost eight buses full of soldiers who descended upon us at the polling station and brutally beat us up, they were joined by the police, prison officers from Kitala,” he said.
He added, “The village doesn’t have a leader, the previous leaders who served in the last term is the one we still have in office and he is the one , we want Galiwango Henry”.
Mr Henry Galiwango, who contested for the post as an independent said as they were waiting for the electoral officers, they saw a number of buses ferrying civilians who took over the roles of the commission at the station.
“They were being protected by UPDF officers and started ordering people on what to do, they were joined by prison officers from Kitala prison, SFC and police. Sadly we thought they had come to keep peace but that wasn’t the case, after the commission officer had read about 60 names he said he was tired”
He added, “Thereafter he said anybody with a national ID should raise it after which he ordered that we six candidates who included NRM’s Pofia Nabaasa, NUP’s Kiberu Denis, Muliika Lawrence and Nsimbe Charles Lwanga and myself to line up and told the people to line up behind their preferred candidate”.
However, he notes that following the order, as the NRM candidate Ms Nabaasa line was short with very few people, SFC soldier ordered people to join Nabassa’s line.
“When residents refused, the soldiers just started beating people up with sticks, electric cables as if they were beating cows which forced people to scamper out of the voting area after which the electoral commission officer declared Pofia Nabassa, who had very few voters guarded by soldiers who were beating up residents as the winner” he said.
Galiwango revealed that a number of residents are still nursing wounds for last week’s incident with some still seeking treatment from Kisubi Hospital.
Galiwango has since revealed that he wrote and sent the petition to Electoral commission, Wakiso district headquarters and katabi Town Council challenging the unfair electoral process, since voting didn’t take place.
Additionally, the former village chairperson with backing of the residents appointed a village committee to oversee a number of issues in the village.
“As the former chairman I was stopped from working after my term, the village doesn’t have defence leaders and we don’t want insecurity, environmental officers among other posts to ensure smooth running of village issues” he said.
He added, “The leadership they forced upon us isn’t recognised and we don’t even know it. This committee will steer our village matters until the commission grants us justice” he said.
By the time of this publication, 360 News Ug, couldn’t independently verify the allegations made against security personnel’s actions.
Recently, the electoral Commission chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama revealed that they had already received numerous election petitions arising from the LCI polls and would handle them in accordance with the law.
He however did not disclose the number of complaints received and further noted that the commission had also received reports suggesting that some election officials may have colluded with individuals to manipulate the outcome of the elections.
