Lwemiyaga MP rally violence forced Theodore Ssekikubo to suspend his rallies indefinitely after one of his supporters died on Thursday evening.
Fred Ssembuusi, a resident of Ntyazo Village in Sembabule District, was shot by soldiers while they dispersed a political rally Ssekikubo had organized at Kirega trading centre. The rally aimed to gather support ahead of the July 16 NRM parliamentary primaries. Chaos broke out at 5 pm on June 26 when Ssekikubo’s supporters clashed with those of his rival Brig (rtd) Emmanuel Rwashande. During the fight, a bullet hit Ssekikubo’s right index finger. Another supporter of Brig Rwashande, Moses Mwesigye, was shot in the head.
The recent Lwemiyaga MP rally violence has heightened tensions in the district and raised concerns over the safety of political gatherings.
“It makes no sense to continue rallies when my supporters’ security is at risk. Security officials must act quickly to stop more deaths during political events,” Ssekikubo said on Friday.
Eyewitnesses said trouble began when Ssekikubo’s supporters asked Rwashande’s group to lower their loud music and let Ssekikubo speak. When they refused, Ssekikubo addressed the rally. As he finished, soldiers appeared from the crowd and began beating people. When Ssekikubo’s supporters fought back with clubs and stones, soldiers opened fire, killing Fred Ssembuusi, said local resident Sam Tumwine. Ssekikubo had successfully held a similar rally in Bugologolo town earlier.
Paul Kanganve, officer in charge of Lwemiyaga Police Station, condemned the soldiers’ use of excessive force at what should have been a peaceful gathering. “Losing an innocent life is tragic. The soldiers did not need to use such force to calm rival supporters,” he said.
Since NRM grassroots elections started in May, Ssekikubo has urged army leaders to keep soldiers out of Lwemiyaga politics. He warned that it could lead to bloodshed. “Soldiers have no place in local politics, but my opponents keep deploying them to intimidate my supporters,” he added.
Eyewitnesses said the soldiers who fired belong to Brig Rwashande’s security team. Rwashande, a retired soldier, is competing to unseat Ssekikubo in the next general election. Some locals question why Rwashande needs so many soldiers for protection, especially at taxpayers’ expense.
Sembabule Resident District Commissioner Jane Francise Kagaayi called a security meeting to address the shooting. “We cannot allow the district’s security to fall into chaos. We will develop strategies to prevent such incidents in the future,” she said.
Brig Rwashande reportedly has strong backing from President Museveni’s son, Gen Muhoozi Kainerugaba, Uganda’s military chief. Over the years, UPDF soldiers have faced accusations of meddling in politics, causing injuries and deaths despite repeated calls to stop.
Critics of Museveni say peace and citizen security—the hallmarks of his nearly four decades in power—are rapidly fading. Many fear more violence as the election season nears. Security forces continue to issue threats. State-backed violence has become routine. Officials often defend or ignore it, promising investigations that rarely happen.
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