By KT Reporter
The Elections for Kiwogozi Youths Parish Committee in Luwero town council have been suspended after clashes broke out between supporters of the National Unity Platform and the National Resistance Movement.
On Tuesday, the Electoral Commission organised Youth Elections at the parish level across the country. The eligible voters were youths aged 18 to 30 who were elected at the village level.
The elections started at 9:00 am with verification of the voters and later voting by lining up.
However, at Kiwogozi parish polling station located at Shammah High School in Luwero town, the elections flopped and polling officers were evacuated by Police after clashes broke up.
The clashes broke out after a disagreement following a disagreement that each voter present a National ID before he or she is allowed to enter the polling station.
The disagreement was between supporters of Umar Musuubo, the candidate for the National Unity Platform and John Kintu, the NRM candidate for the Youth Parish Committee Chairperson seat.
The Presiding officials, led by Betty Namakula, the Parish Electoral Commission Supervisor, resolved to read the name of each voter before allowing them to enter the polling station.
But, chaos broke out when the NUP supporters blocked some of the NRM supporters from entering the polling station, demanding that they present their original National ID.
Musuubo said that they had learnt of a plot by NRM and EC Officials to allow non-eligible voters to cast a vote in favour of their candidates.
Haruna Kagombe, another NUP candidate, said that some youths wanted to vote in the names of others, something they detected and demanded national IDs.
John Kintu, the NRM Candidate, insisted that all the youths should be allowed so long as they are within the register, even if they don’t have National IDs. Kintu vowed that elections couldn’t go on without allowing three of his supporters that been locked out of the polling station to enter and participate in the elections.
William Kyeyune, the NRM Supporter, is among those who exchanged blows with NUP supporters after protesting against locking out his party’s voters.
Kyeyune said that locking out voters without a National ID was a plot to disenfranchise NRM supporters.
Denis Sekabira, the Katikamu North Member of Parliament, said the clashes were due to the impartiality of presiding officials and the failure to adhere to agreed-upon rules by all candidates.
Sekabira also expressed concern that the Electoral Commission recruited NRM campaigners as presiding officials, and this was a precursor to violence in the 2026 general elections.
Policemen led by Luwero District Police Commander Brighton Ahimbisamukama rushed to the Polling station and cancelled the elections before evacuating the presiding officials amidst tight security.
Police said that it acted to avert the escalation of violence at the polling station, which could disrupt the studies at the school.
Later, Sam Agaba, the Electoral Commission returning officer for Luwero district, informed the candidates at his office that the elections had been postponed to Tuesday.
In the other parishes within Luwero town council, NUP won the committees in three parishes, and the two others were taken by NRM candidates.
From Masaka city, the opposition political parties boycotted the youth’s parish election, citing irregularities. Out of the 25 wards in Masaka, the election was held only in Katwadde parish in Nyendo-Mukungwe division, and other candidates passed through unopposed.
Emmanuel Walugembe, the Nyendo-Mukungwe division councillor for Katwade ward, said they boycotted the elections after NRM brought in non-eligible voters to vote.
He indicates that irregularities compelled them to demobilise their candidates and supporters to boycott the elections in protest.
He indicates that irregularities compelled them to demobilise their candidates and supporters to boycott the elections in protest.
Rogers Buregeya, the Masaka City NRM chairperson, argues that the opposition candidates boycotted the elections because they had failed to mobilise voters to win the parishes-URN. Give us feedback on this story through our email: kamwokyatimes@gmail.com
