Lwengo Residents Express Concerns Over Potential Violence Amid NRM Joint Campaigns

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | A faction of National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters in Lwengo district are voicing concerns about the safety of joint campaign events planned for the party's primary elections, fearing these gatherings could escalate into violent confrontations among rival factions.

Dr. Tanga Odoi, the Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission, has announced that candidates vying for the party's nomination will participate in joint rallies beginning July 1 and continuing until July 14, ahead of the primaries scheduled for July 17. This strategy aims to reduce campaign costs and promote party unity.

However, local party mobilizer Bruce Nzabinita warns that the current atmosphere is charged with hostility, as various aspirants have already rallied their supporters, creating factions that could clash during joint events. He notes that political tensions are particularly high in the Bukoto West, Bukoto Midwest, and Bukoto South constituencies, where supporters of sitting Members of Parliament have been engaged in open confrontations with those of their challengers.

Nzabinita suggests that allowing each candidate to conduct individual campaigns may be prudent to prevent further escalation of violence that could extend into the general elections. Elizabeth Nalule, the NRM Youth Secretary for Malongo sub-county, emphasizes the need for reconciliation among the different candidate camps before joint campaigns can proceed. “If people already cannot greet each other because they support different candidates, I don’t believe that they can share a common campaign platform,” she states.

Furthermore, she points out that many leaders within the NRM structure, tasked with organizing the joint rallies, have developed biases towards specific candidates, raising concerns about the fairness of the campaign process.

Ibrahim Kitatta, the current Lwengo L.CV Chairperson, who is running for the Bukoto West parliamentary seat, echoes these concerns about the potential for violence, particularly attributing it to the actions of incumbents who may be inciting hostility against challengers. He urges the party to ensure adequate security measures at all joint campaign events to prevent physical altercations.

Despite these concerns, Kitatta acknowledges that joint campaigns could provide voters with an opportunity to evaluate the capabilities of those seeking to represent them. Incumbent MP for Bukoto South, Dr. Twaha Kagabo Mzeeyi, stresses the importance of creating a supportive environment for all candidates and calls for strict control over their supporters to maintain peace during the electoral process.