A new wave of Uganda election violence Budaka 2025 has left one person dead and several others injured after supporters of rival candidates clashed in Budaka District. The deadly incident unfolded on Sunday at Kadatume Primary School in Katira Sub-county, Iki-Iki County, during a campaign rally by incumbent MP and NRM candidate Robert Kasolo.
Police said violence erupted when Micheal Kawiso’s supporters arrived from Kameruka and began throwing stones at Kasolo’s rally. The chaos escalated quickly, and the attackers fled shortly afterward.
Eyewitnesses saw Esau Magoola try to escape, but he tripped and fell. Kawiso’s supporters allegedly reached him and attacked him with machetes, leading to his death. Locals identified the suspects as familiar figures in the community.
“This loss of life was completely avoidable,” said ASP Wilfred Kyempasa, spokesperson for North Bukedi Regional Police. “Politics must not become a battleground.”
Police classified the case as murder under Budaka CRB 287/2025. They processed the crime scene, recorded witness statements, and moved Magoola’s body from Budaka Health Centre IV to Mbale City Mortuary for a postmortem.
Abel Mugalya, a 54-year-old teacher from Bulalaka Village, reported the incident. Although police have not made arrests yet, they confirmed active investigations are underway.
“We’ve noticed a troubling increase in political clashes,” Kyempasa warned. “These incidents pose a growing threat as we move closer to Uganda’s 2026 general elections.”
Elsewhere in the region, Butebo District also reported violent campaign-related incidents. Security and electoral officials have raised alarms as more deaths, now over five, link to NRM campaigns this month.
Authorities urged political candidates to control their supporters and emphasize peaceful, policy-based campaigning. “Every leader must take charge and discourage violence,” Kyempasa emphasized. “It destroys democratic integrity.”
Despite public pressure, the NRM has not yet issued a statement regarding the Uganda election violence Budaka 2025. Uganda’s general elections are expected in January 2026.
Read: NRM Suspends Campaigns Amid Violence in Isingiro and Kalaki
