Security agencies arrested the NRM flag bearer for Kyazanga Town Council mayor, Imran Matovu, together with the Kanyogoga Village Chairperson, following chaotic scenes that disrupted elections in Lwengo District amid allegations of vote rigging.
Matovu, who was contesting against Independent candidate and incumbent mayor Maada Nanyanzi, was arrested by a joint team of the army and police.
During the arrest, a soldier allegedly struck him on the head, causing him to collapse.
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Residents, with police assistance, lifted the candidate and placed him on a police pickup truck to rush him to hospital.
Moments later, however, Matovu reportedly regained consciousness and became aggressive, forcing security personnel to restrain him under the vehicle before transferring him to Kyazanga Health Centre IV.
Although he did not spend the night at the health facility, his visible distress and loud cries attracted public attention, with residents saying he appeared to be in pain despite showing no visible injuries.
The Kanyogoga Village Chairperson, Charles Ntangura, who was also arrested, protested his detention, describing it as unfair.
Residents, however, accused him of openly siding with one political camp and allegedly benefiting from election money, prompting heckling from sections of the community.
Violence also spread to the Central Zone Polling Station, where police fired live bullets to disperse youths who had begun fighting after allegedly pelting security officers with stones.
Residents blamed the unrest on political actors who believe money can influence election outcomes, warning that such practices continue to fuel violence during elections.
Independent candidate Maada Nanyanzi said she personally intervened to calm tensions, accusing unnamed individuals of deliberately orchestrating chaos to disrupt the electoral process.
Meanwhile, Lwengo District Returning Officer Peace Kyogabirwe attributed the violence to intolerance among rival political camps and called for restraint and respect for electoral processes.
The Greater Masaka Regional Police Spokesperson, Twaha Kasirye, confirmed the firing of warning shots and the arrest of several individuals, including candidates, as investigations into the incidents continue.
