Stampede at Kyebando polling station as rival candidates’ supporters clash over access

What the report says

The Observer reported that voting at St Paul Primary School in Kyebando Centre Zone, Kampala, was interrupted for a short period on Tuesday after a confrontation broke out among supporters of rival candidates in a Local Council I chairperson election. The dispute centred on who could enter the polling area, and the situation led to a stampede before security forces moved in to restore calm.

According to the report, supporters of the incumbent chairperson, Lazarus Kagimu, who is running as an independent, allegedly positioned themselves at the entrance early in the day and admitted only people they considered to be on their side. Rival contenders, including NRM flagbearer Hajji Musa Nsereko and independent candidate Samuel Mwanje, objected, saying eligible voters were being kept out of the polling station.

The Observer said some residents were left outside even after their names had been read from the voters’ register. One resident, identified only as Ronald from Kyebando Central Ward, said voters had come to choose local leaders but were instead caught in conflict among political camps. Police were initially present as tensions grew, before the military was deployed to control access and allow voting to continue.

The incident highlights the sensitivity of local council elections, where access to polling spaces and trust in election management can affect voter participation. The Observer reported that some residents argued candidate agents should not have been controlling entry, saying that role should rest with election officials. The paper described the Kyebando clash as one of a small number of election-related disputes, while noting that LCI voting in most areas was generally calm.