One dead as Katali, Walyomu lose, Kintu gets Jinja district NRM card

JINJA - At least one person was killed during the NRM party primaries at Mawoito village in Kakira town council in Jinja district on Thursday, New Vision Online has learnt.

Acting Jinja resident district commissioner Andrew Ntange confirmed the death of a male youth whose details were yet to be identified.

Ntange said the deceased succumbed to injuries inflicted on him with a sharp object believed to be a knife during a scuffle between supporters of the area LC3 chairperson, Charles Sande Kabule and Shaban Okumu, both vying for the party card of Butembe constituency.

He said the deceased was pronounced dead on arrival at the Jinja Regional Referral Hospital, where he had been rushed for treatment.

A source at the scene blamed candidates for buying the youth alcohol, yet others were under the influence of drugs.

“This area is already known for selling local gin (waragi), and our youth are ever drunk, coupled with smoking opium; it is a dead society, and that is why they ended up killing a colleague under drug influence,” the source said.

The body of the deceased was still at the mortuary by 9:00pm.

A smiling Fredrick Munyirwa after defeating Moses Muwanika Walyomu with 12,004 votes against 9,955 votes for the Kagoma constituency NRM primaries. (Credit: Jackie Nambogga)

Incumbents trounced

Meanwhile, Jinja district Woman Member of Parliament Loy Katali, together with Kagoma MP Moses Muwanika Walyomu, were defeated in the day’s party elections.

Katali trailed in a race that attracted three contenders with 6,441 (9.3%) votes, while Peace Tibyaze got 28,739 (41.5%) where they were trounced by the Jinja district speaker Monic Kamagu Namukose, who polled 33,941 (49.1).

This was the second attempt for Tibyaze to contest in the party primaries, where she was defeated by Katali in 2020, yet the first for Namukose to frustrate the incumbent’s bid for the third term.

Similarly, Fredrick Munyirwa trounced Walyomu for the second time with 12,004 votes against 9,955, while James Mukembo trailed with 1019.

Walyomu lost to Munyirwa during the bloody 2020 party primaries that earned him a permanent injury, but he contested as an independent candidate and defeated Munyirwa.

It was not clear if he would again return in the same way because he declined speaking to journalists throughout the day by keeping himself on phone and driving away.

It was only Alex Brandon Kintu who retained his card after defeating his archrival Gyaviira Dhikusooka with 12,034 (38.8%) against 11,198 (36.1%) while bishop Paul Wandera scored 7,744 (25%) votes.

Elsewhere in Butembe constituency, five candidates, including a woman, Teddy Nabirye, who trailed with 176 votes, faced off with Jacob Kabondo trouncing them with 8,662, followed by Shaban Okumu, Sande Kabule and Abel Kapyate, who got 5,326, 3,8820 and 1019 respectively.

The area legislator, David Livingstone Zijjan, switched to Jinja city northern division, where he miserably lost to Edwin Lufafa.

The Jinja district NRM registrar, Paul Kiwanuka Kabale, declared the results and hailed the office of the Jinja resident commissioner, led by Andrew Ntange, including the security personnel, for ensuring sanity among candidates and their supporters.

Kabale handing over a declaration form to Monica Kamagu Namukose, who defeated Loy Katali and Peace Tibyaze for the Jinja Woman race on Thursday. (Credit: Jackie Nambogga)

RDC bans wild celebrations

Having lost a life, Ntange cautioned the candidates who won in the race against holding processions, be it celebrating on Thursday, since the exercise had concluded late, yet they were all accompanied by supporters.

The ban was after realising that majority of their supporters who had pitched camp outside the tally centre at Buwenge sub-county, which was under tight security, were reportedly under the influence of drugs.

Also, he warned cyclists against damaging the roads in return for celebrating, saying it affected their lifespans.

“I have been interacting with the supporters outside, but the boys are high on weed and alcohol, some are already asleep, we want to thank the candidates for good,” he sarcastically said.

He added: ‘Therefore, just move out with your people, we shall not allow any procession right now, speak to them and return to avoid blood clashes because the prospect of a bullet is very clear now,” he stated.

Instead, he advised the winners to celebrate the following day and ensure that they managed the discipline of their supporters.

To the losers, he called for self-control by not pelting stones or pouring stinging weed (Kamyu) in revenge after being defeated.