By Lukia Nantaba
Kabale district leaders and residents are calling on District LC 5 Chairperson Nelson Nshangabasheijja and Kabale Municipality Mayor Emmanuel Byamugisha Sentaro to issue a public apology following a widely circulated CCTV footage capturing a bar fight involving the two officials.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the community and raised questions about their conduct.
The CCTV footage captured Nshangabasheijja knocking Mayor Sentaro to the ground as they quarreled over a lady at a bar in Mbarara.
The altercation occurred during a budget conference held at Igongo Cultural Centre in Mbarara, which involved leaders from the Western region.
Residents of Kabale, such as Kakukuru Robert, expressed their disappointment, emphasizing that such behavior was entirely inappropriate, especially given the context of the budget conference.
“As two prominent leaders, they should have been aware of the leadership code of conduct,” Kakukuru remarked, adding that their actions failed to uphold any leadership values.
The incident has tarnished the image of Kabale, with Kakukuru emphasizing that it was a shameful display for the district.
He called on the two leaders to come forward and apologize to the public.
Sam Arinaitwe, Chairman of the Central Division in Kabale, condemned the actions of the two leaders.
While acknowledging that disputes can happen, he stressed that the public perception of leaders engaging in such behavior was concerning.
Arinaitwe also raised concerns about the potential impact on service delivery, as the ability of the two leaders to collaborate closely could be compromised.
Police spokesperson for the Rwizi region, Samson Kasasira, confirmed that a case had been reported at Biharwe police station, relating to the incident at Igongo hotel during the budget conference workshop.
The case was initially forwarded to the resident state attorney for prosecution but was later recalled, as the two parties expressed their intention to settle the matter outside the court and police.
Efforts to obtain comments from both the LC 5 Chairperson and the Municipality Mayor proved unsuccessful.
This incident is not the first public dispute involving Kabale’s LCV 5 Chairperson and Municipality Mayor, leaving residents and leaders calling for a change in their behavior and a restoration of public confidence.
