Police in Masaka City are holding a former contestant in the just-concluded village elections for allegedly writing and distributing threatening leaflets following his defeat.ls.
Laban Lubega, 73, a former Vice Chairperson of Kiteredde Cell in Kimanya-Kabonera Division, was arrested in connection with anonymous leaflets that were thrown in the area, warning residents of impending night attacks.
Residents of Kiteredde woke up to various copies of threatening leaflets dumped in their area shortly after the village council elections. The anonymous authors of the leaflets warned of attacks and killings of residents in cold blood using machetes.
Twaha Kasirye, the Greater Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson, says they arrested Lubega after obtaining intelligence reports linking him to the leaflets, which he allegedly authored to instill fear among residents following his election loss.
Lubega unsuccessfully contested for the position of Kiteredde Cell Chairperson in the elections. Kasirye says police recovered several copies of the leaflets and conducted community engagements, during which Lubega’s name repeatedly emerged in connection with the threats.
Police indicate that shortly after the elections, Lubega allegedly expressed dissatisfaction with the results and was overheard threatening to destabilise the village in retaliation.
Kasirye says that in the meantime, police have intensified night patrols and operations in the area to prevent the other suspects still at large from executing their evil mission or continuing to intimidate residents. Justus Kafeero, the Vice Chairperson of Kiteredde Ward, says the threats have rekindled fear among residents, appealing to police to conclusively investigate the matter and bring all culprits to book.
Notably, in the aftermath of the 2021 general elections, at least 27 people were killed by machete-wielding assailants who attacked several villages across Masaka, Lwengo, Bukomansimbi and Kyotera districts. Kafeero says the resurfacing leaflets had renewed fears, with some people contemplating fleeing their homes for safety-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
