Why becoming an MP is a do or die

THE HOUSE 

The scars, injuries and destruction that punctuated the Jinja East parliamentary elections over a decade ago have left many voters cursing the battle that shaped the election of their MP.

In Kawampe North, the recent by-election also left many voters, including journalists, cursing, writes Jackie Nambogga.

When Isa Matege was preparing to have dinner with his family on February 17, 2011, a group of goons invaded his home and tied his hands from the back. 

During the 9:00pm invasion, he was hit by a blunt object on the right side of the forehead, resulting in profuse bleeding. This was on the eve of the countrywide presidential and parliamentary election of 2011. 

It was at Maternity cell, Walukuba West Ward located in the then Walukuba/Masese Division, currently Jinja Southern City Division. 

The unconscious Matege, who was among the polling agents appointed by one of the contenders for the Jinja East seat, Paul Mwiru, was admitted at Walukuba Health Centre IV, the following morning. 

In the last four consecutive polls, the race for this seat has been dotted with violence as camps fight to join Parliament. For voters to survive the violence, you need to align properly along the two contenders — Mwiru and Nathan Igeme Nabeta of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM). 

Matege's left big toe, whose nail was plucked out during attack.

Much as campaigns seem to be calm, right from nomination, Mwiru said they turn chaotic and violent, with arrests and destruction of property days into elections. 

“There is massive use of security forces to determine the winner than the voters,” he said. Also, bribery of voters in queues at polling stations prompt locals to confront such perpetrators. 

In the opinion of voters, security apparatus should be dispatched to guard against the dishing out of groceries, such as sugar, sachets of salt or soap on election eve, which, in their opinion influences the outcome of the electoral process. 

Emmanuel Wejuri, the chairperson of Zabefu village in Walukuba West, said it was mainly the youth that orchestrate violence. 

“Some youth are under the influence of alcohol bought by their candidates,” he said. 
Charles Busuulwa, the chairperson of Igeme Nabeta’s political taskforce, said the violence that dots the campaign process in the area is mainly fuelled by non-residents that the Opposition ferries into the area. “Such people do not know the area’s dynamics and end up clashing with opposition camps,” he said.

Candidates fuel violence  

Yet for Moses Galandi, a voter in the area, the blame squarely lies with candidates, who he said bundle sticks in their vehicles to beat supporters of their opponents once they bump into each other. 

Due to such violent incidents, Mwiru said scores of his agents and supporters have permanent injuries. He gave an example of Matege, whose face is dotted with visible scars. 

“Matege was brutally attacked. They plucked out a nail from one of his big toes. I couldn’t believe that the exercise had taken us this far and when I verified further, majority of my agents had been beaten and arrested,” Mwiru said, alleging that his offices at Masese were also burnt. Matege said the injuries inflicted on him during the campaigns affected his sight. 

Nabbambula displaying the gap left after losing a tooth during the 2018 Jinja East parliamentary by-election.

“I no longer read content with small letters, especially newspapers,” he said.

Around the same period, Robert Mutagubya, another resident, said that he was waylaid and hit on the head. He said he spent five days nursing wounds at Walukuba health centre IV. 

On the other hand, Sam Mwanje, an NRM leader in the constituency, said during campaigns, NRM offices housed on his building on Bukesa road in Walukuba were destroyed by the Opposition. 

Mwanje has since renovated the NRM offices and shut them down in fear that Opposition elements might destroy the building again. Yet, despite the episodes, Mwanje said within the constituency, the violence never stops. 

Each election comes with a new wave of violence. For instance, on February 9, 2012, during a by-election in the area, similar electoral violence trends were reported at the Jinja Central Police Station. 

One of the cases involved an expectant woman, Farida Gwaivu, who was reportedly kicked in the stomach, leading to a miscarriage. During the same campaigns, Swaibu Magumba, an NRM supporter from Masese I village, said he was also attacked and his property stolen by people he described as “opposition goons”. 

Meanwhile, Forum for Democratic Change’s (FDC) Fred Kagwa said he was admitted to Jinja Hospital after being beaten and left unconscious. 

The campaigns at the time saw Police arrest 25 people for allegedly inciting violence, following a bloody clash between Mwiru and Igeme Nabeta’s supporters at Walukuba. 

“This voting was punctuated with gunshots intended to disperse the rowdy crowds that were hurling huge stones at each other, leaving windscreens of four vehicles belonging to both camps smashed. They included two saloon cars, a van, registration number UAN 195T, which belonged to Igeme and another one of Mwiru’s camp, which were all confiscated,” a senior Police officer said. 

At the time, the Police officer added, some supporters suspected returning officer Ronald Batuuse of carrying altered results. 

“Whereas majority detainees were bonded out by their leaders and relatives, eight people were arraigned in court on charges of malicious damage and inciting violence, but were later released for lack of evidence,” a police officer added. 

During the 2016 and 2021 general elections, as well as the 2018 by-election, similar events were registered. For instance, on March 14, 2018, the eve of polling day, Julius Kayiira a.k.a Nabbambula, said he lost one of his front teeth. 

“I was an overseer in Mwiru’s camp, and immediately after concluding our meeting, soldiers forced their way into the premises and began beating us severely; others were arrested, including former Jinja municipality speaker Moses Bizitu,” he said. 

Whereas others were taken to Namutumba, Bugiri, Buikwe and Kayunga districts, Bizitu said he was initially detained at Nalufenya Police Station in Jinja town, before being shifted to Kakira Police in Jinja district for two weeks and released without charges. 

He added that there is need to demilitarise electoral processes countrywide. 

Joy Kawanguzi, the executive director of the First African Bicycle Information Organisation (FABIO), which advocates for good governance, said militarisation of the electoral process sometimes leads to voter apathy. 

“Potential voters shun exercising their fundamental right after seeing gun-wielding personnel. We also need to tame commercialisation of politics during campaigns and elections as it undermines chances of voting for quality leaders,” she said. 

Deo Natukunda, the Kiira regional returning officer of the Electoral Commission (EC), declined to comment on the violence trends that have, over time, characterised Jinja East polls. However, during a recent stakeholder meeting in Jinja early this year, the EC commissioner, Stephen Tashobya, said on the commission’s part: “We will dismiss any polling official who gets involved in messing polls.”

Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson Simon Byabakama

Polices take

To avoid past situations, Charles Nsaba, the Kiira regional Police commander, said they had embarked on stakeholders’ engagements with aspiring candidates from all political parties before official nominations ahead of the 2026 general election. 

“Security will not sit and watch people violating guidelines and laws and keep quiet. If they do not follow, security will come in and guide. We want to avoid unnecessary clashes,” he said. 

According to Nsaba, confrontations are a ploy used by opposition to attract sympathy. 
“Since they are in opposition, they act with impunity, provoking officers and then attacking them violently when they retaliate, to create sympathy that they were being harassed. This must be discouraged, and this is the reason for pre-engagement with them,” he said. 

Nsaba added that security and the media remain essential in the electoral process, with a duty of ensuring a free and fair exercise. 

“Security, candidates, media and parties involved are all stakeholders in this process. We should be able to condemn impunity, provocation against security forces and encourage candidates to follow guidelines,” he said.

“An arrest goes with an offence. So, if someone commits an offence, that person must be arrested and charged, whether they are opposition or not,” Nsaba added.

What voters say

Sam Mwanje

Sam Mwanje, voter: We need a ban on selling alcohol to reduce violence among the youth on polling days.

Emmanuel Wejuri

Emmanuel Wejuri, LC1 chairperson, Zabefu: There has been low civic education. The Electoral Commission should involve LC1 leaders, who are always in the community.

Musitafa Twaase, voter: The delay to deliver voting materials in areas where opposition supporters are the majority sparks chaos. EC should look into this.