The recently concluded presidential and parliamentary elections in the Greater Mukono districts were marked by violence, intimidation by security agencies, and widespread mistrust of the Electoral Commission, particularly among opposition candidates and their supporters.
Although voting largely concluded peacefully, tensions escalated during tallying and declaration of results, with many candidates and voters fearing that their electoral victories would be overturned.
The belief that results were being delayed or manipulated prompted supporters of various candidates to mobilise spontaneous demonstrations in several trading centres across Mukono, Kayunga, Buikwe, and Njeru municipalities, mainly on Thursday and Friday nights.
Protesters demanded the immediate declaration of candidates they believed had clearly won. These demonstrations quickly turned chaotic, prompting the deployment of heavily armed security forces, including the military.
Security responded using teargas and live ammunition to disperse crowds, resulting in multiple injuries and fatalities. Several civilians were shot during the running battles between protesters and security personnel, raising serious concerns about the use of lethal force in crowd control situations.
Among the victims was Jamila Nakimbugwe, daughter to Meddie Kayemba of Kaama village in Kimenyedde Sub-county, Nakifuma Constituency. The circumstances surrounding her shooting remain unclear. An eyewitness claims she was a bystander when she was shot. Her father says he was informed of the incident minutes after it occurred. Nakimbugwe died while receiving first aid at Nakifuma Clinic.
Another fatal incident was recorded in Mukono Municipality at Kikooza Cell in Mukono Central Division, where George Luise Kabuye, aged 25, was shot in the back and died instantly. Kabuye was a polling agent for President Yoweri Museveni at Mt Lebanon Church Polling Station–Gunga and was a brother to Mukono Assistant Resident District Commissioner Esther Nakyazze Baroma.
Preliminary police findings indicate that Kabuye was shot while attempting to enter and hide in a bar as police dispersed rioters. His burial in Bulijjo, Kyampisi Sub-county, was handled by police.
In Kyampisi Sub-county’s Buntaba village, Ibamu Ahebwa, a driver to Mukono North County MP Abdala Kiwanuka, was also shot. Kiwanuka maintains that Ahebwa was found at home at the time of the shooting, contradicting claims that he was involved in riots. He was buried in Butambala district.
In Kayunga District, security forces used teargas and live bullets to suppress protests that began at the district tally centre. During the unrest, Shafic Bukenya, a taxi broker in Bukolooto, was shot and later buried at Ntooke in Kayunga Sub-county. After being dispersed from the tally centre, protesters spread to other parts of the district, eventually setting ablaze the NRM offices in Kayunga Town Council.
Violence was also reported in Njeru Municipality, where Solomon Balwananga was shot at Nakibizzi and sustained severe injuries. In a separate incident, Timothy Lukenge, a relative to Moses Lukanga who won the Njeru Municipality parliamentary seat, was shot and killed on the spot.
Ssezibwa Regional Police Spokesperson Hellen Butoto said those shot in Kayunga and Buikwe were actively participating in riots. She stated that Lukenge confronted security personnel with a panga, while Balwananga was part of a group that had begun burning people’s property, including a parked drone vehicle.
However, when contacted for comment on the Mukono shootings, Greater Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson Recheal Kawala told this website that she was not aware of the incidents.
In Mukono Municipality, protests were driven by claims that there was a plan to alter results during tallying in favour of NRM’s Dr Sarah Daisy Ssonko, who garnered 5,753 votes, against Betty Nambooze, who secured 22,691 votes. Supporters said the wide margin made any delay suspicious.
In Mukono South, tensions followed the delayed declaration process involving Fred Kayondo of the Democratic Party, amid allegations from rival supporters that the tallying lacked transparency.
In Nakifuma Constituency, riots erupted over delayed declaration and claims of a plot to declare NRM’s Robert Kafeero Ssekitoleko, who polled 16,274 votes, over Sulaiman Kiwanuka, who scored 32,806 votes.
In Mukono North, protests were triggered by reports that NUP candidate Abdala Kiwanuka had been arrested following a traffic accident at Mpoma involving his campaign vehicles. His supporters alleged the arrest was intended to block his declaration. The unrest persisted until Kiwanuka was eventually declared winner.
The Mpoma accident itself further inflamed tensions. Nine people travelling in a Toyota Noah registration number UA711UBL were injured after the vehicle was knocked and overturned by a double-cabin vehicle registration number UBK082J that was escorting Kiwanuka. Two occupants of the escort vehicle were also injured.
Kiwanuka admitted responsibility for the incident, telling URN that he suspected the Noah was transporting pre-ticked ballot papers and chased it, leading to the collision near Mpoma Barracks.
Although parliamentary results were eventually declared in Mukono North, Mukono South, Nakifuma, and Mukono Municipality, the violence left several families grieving and communities traumatised.
The shootings, conflicting accounts from authorities and witnesses, and delayed official responses have intensified calls for independent investigations into the conduct of security forces and the management of the electoral process in Greater Mukono.
