Police in Busoga East are probing the death of 33-year-old Peter Kaluya, who lost his life following violent clashes after the National Resistance Movement (NRM) grassroots elections in Mayuge District. Kaluya, a resident of Bulubude Village in Malongo Sub-county, was attacked by a mob and died while being rushed to the hospital.
His body was taken to Mayuge Health Centre IV mortuary for a postmortem examination. According to anonymous eyewitnesses, Kaluya was beaten by a disorderly crowd after he helped the presiding officer flee from the escalating chaos.
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One eyewitness explained that violence broke out after Isaac Lwakala was announced as the NRM chairperson for Bulubude Village, sparking outrage among supporters of rival candidate Khuzaima Wante. In the uproar, Wante’s supporters reportedly seized the election result forms from the presiding officer in an attempt to destroy them. Kaluya, witnessing the situation, reportedly hired a motorcycle to help the officer escape.
Unfortunately, his intervention was misread as an attempt to interfere with efforts to nullify the results, and the mob turned on him. He was severely beaten until he was barely breathing, at which point the attackers fled. Good Samaritans tried to take him to a nearby health facility, but he succumbed to his injuries on the way.
Another local resident, speaking anonymously, blamed the recurring violence on influential NRM leaders in the district who manipulate grassroots mobilizers during election seasons. She noted that the NRM party neglects its village-level structures, leaving elections vulnerable to chaos. According to her, many parliamentary and district leadership aspirants fund candidates to run in local elections, turning the contests into high-stakes battles.
She further criticized the decline of internal party dialogue, noting that community meetings once used to select leaders have been replaced by bribery and manipulation. In some cases, candidates transport voters from outside areas to influence outcomes. She also pointed to high youth unemployment and drug abuse as key factors making young people easy targets for political manipulation—saying even UGX 1,000, the price of a cheap liquor bottle, can incite violence.
Busoga East police spokesperson Michael Kafayo confirmed the incident and said investigations are underway. He noted that law enforcement is collaborating with intelligence teams to apprehend the suspects, who are believed to be attempting to flee to nearby islands.
Kafayo condemned the violence, calling it a backward practice that undermines democratic processes. He warned that such acts can lead to lasting injuries or death for victims and long jail terms for perpetrators.
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