29 February - 6 March 2016

Media Monitoring Report for Uganda

Posted on March 11, 2016

Compiled by Emma Allison Howie

New Vision, February 29th 2016 – 9 bodies recovered; 80 Arrested in Bundibugyo Clashes

The Police and sister security agencies have recovered nine bodies and arrested 80 suspects following Saturday's tribal clashes in Bundibugyo district.
According to police, the killing of the nine people during the post-election violence in Busaru sub-county, in Bundibugyo district, has left residents in fear, with hundreds fleeing their villages.
Police spokesperson Fred Enanga said that a group of people under the command of the Obundhigya Bwa Bamba King, retired Lt. Col Martin Kamya, are planning to conduct attacks on supporters of Ronald Mutegeki, the National Resistance Movement flag bearer for the seat of Chairman LC 5.
Attacks erupted in the wee hours of Friday night following the announcement of Ronald Mutegeki as the winner of the Bundibugyo district LC5 seat by the district registrar, Daniel Nayebare.

The Daily Monitor, February 29th 2016 – Election clashes leave six dead in Bundibugyo

A Clashes have broken out in Bundibugyo District between supporters of the district chairman, Mr Jolly Tibebamya, and the NRM flag bearer Ronald Mutegeki.
The Rwenzori regional police commander, Mr Dennis Namuwoza, said the clashes have left six people dead and more than 10 houses burnt.
According to Police, the clashes and tension in the district stem from contradictory announcements by the district returning officer, Mr Dan Nayebale, who on Wednesday announced Mr Tibemanya, the incumbent district chairman, as winner of the LC5 polls with 33,012 votes against 32,376 votes for the NRM flag bearer Mr Mutegeki.

New Vision, March 2nd 2016 – Two shot, 20 held during lower council elections

Two people sustained bullet injuries while about 20 others were arrested during the lower council elections on Wednesday.
The two unidentified victims, said to be Democratic Party (DP) supporters, were shot at after they hurled insults and threw stones and bottles at the soldiers who were patrolling the streets
SFC spokesperson, Maj. Chris Magezi, confirmed the incident, but said the youth provoked the soldiers who were on routine patrol.
In Kampala, Police arrested three people from different parts of the city over election related crimes and they were detained at different police stations.
In Kasese, 17 people were arrested yesterday morning for threatening violence. A police source in the South Western district that preferred anonymity said the suspects threatened to lynch one of the candidates whom they suspected to have pre-ticked ballot papers.
Whereas many other places peacefully held the lower council elections, the few incidents that happened in different parts of the country were eventually contained by police and the army

New Vision, March 1st 2016 – Tumukunde insists he was shot in election fracas

Gen Henry Tumukunde has spoken out about the scuffle with police in which he was injured during the Western Youth Member of Parliament elections in Fort Portal.
Whereas commissioner of police Dr John Kamya claims that the Gen Tumukunde was injured by fragments from a tear gas canister, Tumukunde insists that he was hit by a bullet
Tumukunde has described the election exercise in which his son Amanya Tumukunde who was a candidate as extremely violent. He accused the police and the military of facilitating violence which marred Monday’s elections at Kagote SDA Hall in Fort Portal.
Tumukunde claims that whereas the military and police sealed off the main entrance gate to bar non-delegates from entering, other non-electorates who even participated in the exercise were whisked into the hall through the rear gate.

The Daily Monitor, February 29th 2016 – Sembabule EC supervisor found dead

The Electoral Commission supervisor for Kyambogo village, Ntuusi Sub-county in Sembabule District, was last Thursday found dead.
“Our preliminary investigations have shown that the deceased could have been killed while on his way back home after monitoring the electoral process in the parish,” said Mr John Mugambe ,the in charge of security in Ntuusi Sub -county.
Sembabule District has in the last five years been a hotbed of election violence and the area has witnessed the deployment of security personnel in almost every election.
During NRM party primary elections in October last year, the entire process was marred by chaos that resulted in gutting of party district offices in Sembabule Town.

The Daily Monitor, March 4th 2016 – Army crackdown leaves 10 injured

Ten Opposition supporters sustained serious injuries after they were targeted by officers from Special Forces Command (SFC) and Military Police in local council elections in Wakiso and Masindi districts.
Two Opposition supporters were shot at by SFC soldiers in Entebbe Municipality on Wednesday as they protected a journalist who was being attacked by supporters of the ruling party at Katabi Polling Station.
In Masindi Municipality, eight people, including Mr Asuman Kiiza, a businessman in Masindi Town, Mr Robert Muhangi, a lecturer at Uganda Christian University, Masindi branch, and Mr Moses Muruli, a radio journalist, were injured as Military Police battled supporters of the Forum for Democratic Change.

The Daily Monitor, March 4th 2016 – Media practitioners, rights activitsts condemn police brutality on journalists

Heavily-armed soldiers have placed the capital, Kampala’s, central business district under a lock down and continue to patrol other urban areas, dissent is criminalised, critical social media posts invite arrests and a more militant police have found a new target to prey on: journalists.
In the past fortnight since the presidential election was held, the Human Rights Network for Journalists – Uganda (HRNJ-U), estimates that about 20 journalists have been detained, and all released without charge, for covering the police’s handling of Dr Besigye, who stood on the Oppositon Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) party ticket.

The Daily Monitor, March 1st 2016 – Another journalist arrested covering Besigye

Police in Uganda have arrested another journalist who was covering the arrest of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) presidential candidate Kizza Besigye at his home in Kasangati, Wakiso District.
Ms Remmy Bahati, attached to NBS TV was on Tuesday manhandled by police and whisked away in a police van to a yet to be established destination. Ms Bahati was arrested as she was reporting Besigye’s arrest live on camera. The FDC secretary for mobilisation, Ms Ingrid Turinawe was also arrested and driven away in the same van to unknown destination after she turned up at Dr Besigye’s home.
The arrest comes just a day after police arrested seven reporters who were covering the arrest of Besigye’s arrest at his home in Kasangati, Wakiso District, and the dumping of yellow pigs at State House in Kampala District

Montreal Institute for Genocide and
Human Rights Studies