Chaos and Violence Mar Kyazanga Town Council Elections in Lwengo District
LWENGO – The mayoral election in Kyazanga Town Council descended into chaos as tear gas, stones, and thick smoke engulfed polling stations amid allegations of voter register manipulation and electoral violence. The contentious race between incumbent Mayor Maada Nanyanzi and challenger Ssalongo Matovu Imran turned violent, forcing the suspension of vote counting in several zones.
Of the thirteen polling stations in Kyazanga, two failed to conduct voting entirely due to disruptions. In Magatto Zone, voters protested vehemently after discovering their names had been removed from registers. "They replaced our names with strangers," claimed one disenfranchised voter. The situation escalated similarly in Bukyanagandi Zone, where Nanyanzi allegedly confiscated voter registers, prompting NRM election supervisor Abaasi Mubiru to annul voting proceedings.
Residents accused police and military personnel of siding with political heavyweights, manipulating the process. "Security agencies have become tools for electoral fraud," charged one observer, noting how armed groups intimidated opposition supporters. The tensions have pushed some disillusioned NRM members to threaten defection to the National Unity Platform (NUP) unless party leadership addresses the grievances.
Umar Ssemwezi, NRM's electoral head in Lwengo, admitted the irregularities compromised the election's credibility. "The excessive malpractices in Kyazanga necessitated postponements," he stated, though candidates continue trading accusations of vote rigging and intimidation.
