Police Fire Teargas, Live Bullets to Disperse Procession by Lugazi Mayor Elect

Police have used teargas and live bullets to disperse a procession organized by John Bosco Ozuma, the winner of the Lugazi municipality mayoral elections.

Ozuma took to the streets with his supporters shortly after being declared winner by the Buikwe District Returning Officer, Ann Mary Tusingwire.

According to the official poll results, Ozuma, who ran on the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC ticket, polled 7916 votes defeating the incumbent Deo Mbabazi Tumwesigye, who ran as an independent and garnered 7393 votes.

Barker Ssali, the National Resistance Movement-NRM came third with 5141 votes, Patrick John Mwondha, the National Unity Platform-NUP candidate came fourth with 2747 votes, Ashraf Ssekatawa came fifth with 620 votes and while Daudi Elphazi Mbabazi polled 128 votes.

Ozuma organized a procession from Buikwe town and was intercepted by police at Namengo ward while entering Lugazi central town.  Ozuma’s supporters who were chanting his name overwhelmed police and entered the town center.

This prompted the officers to call for reinforcement and intercepted the procession around Market Cell as they tried to cross to Kinyoro ward and return to the taxi park for a rally.

Police fired live bullets and teargas to break up the procession forcing Ozuma’s supporters to scatter in different directions. Ozuma has criticized police for breaking his procession, saying similar processions were held by NRM candidates and were stopped by police.

“Why a similar opportunity is denied to only members of the opposition, we are also Ugandans who must exercise our rights,” Ozuma notes. The Ssezibwa Regional Police Spokesperson, Robert Kalyesubula noted that the procession was not authorized by police