Police Fire Live Bullets to Quell Chaos During Makerere III LC1 Elections

What the report says

Nile Post reported that voting in the Makerere III Local Council One chairperson election in Mayinja Zone, Kampala, was interrupted for several hours after a disagreement over the voters’ register turned into clashes between rival groups of supporters. The dispute centred on claims by some residents that the register included people who did not live in the village, raising concerns that the list could affect the result.

According to the report, the confrontation involved supporters of National Resistance Movement candidate Muzamiru Ndibo and backers of the incumbent chairperson, Abdul Migadde. Migadde’s camp wanted the register rejected, while Ndibo’s supporters argued that the election should go ahead. The standoff reportedly began at about 7:00am and continued until around 1:00pm.

Nile Post said police and military personnel were deployed as the situation worsened, with some youths allegedly throwing stones at security officers. Security forces then used batons and fired live rounds into the air to disperse the crowd and regain control. Voting briefly resumed, stopped again, and later continued with verification based on the same disputed register under heavy security.

The presiding officer eventually completed tallying and declared Ndibo the winner. Nile Post reported that his supporters celebrated in the village, while Ndibo thanked residents, condemned the violence and pledged to serve all residents. The incident highlights how disputes over voter rolls in local elections can quickly escalate, especially where rival political camps suspect irregular participation.