One person was shot dead and three others, including a police officer, were seriously injured on Tuesday following violent clashes during the National Resistance Movement (NRM) grassroots primaries in Luuka District.
The violence broke out at Noor Islamic Primary Teachers College playground in Lumbuye Zone, Nantamu Ward, Bulanga Town Council, where residual elections were being held to select the party's flagbearer for the LCI Chairperson of Lumbuye Cell.
According to Denis Kalyowa, the NRM registrar for Bulanga Town Council, the elections were a rerun after similar chaos disrupted the initial vote on Monday.
Tensions escalated when supporters of one of the candidates, Sulaiman Issebo, allegedly mobilised groups from outside the area and attacked election officials during the vote-counting process.
“The elections had been postponed to today due to previous disturbances. Unfortunately, candidate Sulaiman Issebo mobilised gangs who stormed the polling grounds and attacked the election officers,” Kalyowa said.
Police officers, led by the area Officer-in-Charge, attempted to restore order, but the crowd reportedly turned violent, pelting stones at both security personnel and election officials.
In the resulting chaos, police fired live bullets to disperse the mob.
One man, identified as Swaliki Lwayanga, 30, was shot and died on the spot. Two others — Ivan Oketch, a resident of Bulanga Central, and Peterson Nabugo, from Waina Village in Baitambogwe Sub-county, Mayuge District — sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to nearby health centres.
A police officer, Sgt Noah Kaleke, suffered a serious eye injury after being struck with a stone. He was referred to Jinja Regional Referral Hospital for specialised treatment.
Police have arrested one officer, Detective Constable Emojong Denis, to assist with investigations into the fatal shooting, which is being treated as a suspected case of murder by shooting.
The body of the deceased was taken to Iganga General Hospital mortuary for postmortem.
This incident adds to a growing list of violent episodes during Uganda’s party primary season and raises renewed concerns about the conduct and security of internal electoral processes.