3 NRM Supporters Still in Hospital After Bukomansimbi Fracas

Three supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) are still admitted at Bukomansimbi Medical Centre after they were severely beaten for attempting to disrupt a consultative meeting convened by Veronicah Nanyondo, the District Woman MP.

 

On Thursday, a group of seven people claiming to be NRM supporters stormed a meeting organised by MP Nanyondo to consult voters on the Constitutional amendment bill which seeks to remove presidential age limits.

 

MP Nanyondo is a member of the Democratic Party who has already opposed the proposed amendment of Article 102(b) which bars anyone below 35 or above 75 from standing for the highest office.

 

Nanyondo convened a consultative meeting in Bukomansimbi town council to seek more views from voters. However, during the meeting, a group of seven men carrying President Museveni posters and those of Youth Minister, Nakiwala Kiyingi, stormed the meeting and threatened violence.

 

This sparked off a fight in which those gathered descended on the NRM supporters and beat them up. Three of them were hit with bricks and they went into coma. The three include Abbey Jjunju and Mike Ssegwa. They sustained serious injuries on their jaws and also lost some of their teeth.

 

They were rushed to Bukomansimbi medical Centre in critical condition where they are still receiving treatment.

 

Another unidentified man was rushed to Masaka regional referral hospital. Police sources say those assaulted were warned against attending the meeting but they never listened.

 

Herbert Masembe, the Sembabule District Police Commander, who manned the security at the consultative meeting, says the group defied police orders not to come to the venue.

 

Hassan Asiimwe, a Democratic Party member has accused Minister Nakiwala of facilitating the NRM youths to disrupt the meeting. He explains that the fact that Hussein Kasasa, Nakiwala Kiyingi's political assistant was involved in the disruption shows that Nakiwala was behind the disruption.

 

Minister Nakiwala did not return our repeated calls.

 

MP Nanyondo says that despite those violent scenes, majority of those that turned up have said no to age limit removal. She explains that all the people that turned up for the meeting unanimously said they want the age limit to stay unchanged.

 

Fred Muhabwa, the Speaker of Bukomansimbi District Council and a member of NRM says the constitutional amendment on presidential age  limit is in bad faith because it only seeks to extend President Museveni's stay in power. He says he is opposed to it because after three decades, Museveni should retire.

 

Muhabwa notes that for three decades Museveni's government has not constructed a hospital in Bukomansimbi.

 

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Geoffrey Kayemba, a resident of Bukomansimbi says age limits shouldn't be removed so that another leader can over to provide equitable distribution of services.

 

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But Shafic Mwanje, the Bukomansimbi NRM Chairman insists that the age limits should be removed to extend Museveni rule. He says Museveni has provided security to the country which has created a conducive environment for Ugandans to work.