BUTAMBALA, Uganda — At least ten people are feared dead following violent clashes between voters and security forces in Butambala District, in what appears to be one of the deadliest election-related incidents reported so far.
Local sources say the unrest erupted on Thursday evening near the home of Butambala County Member of Parliament Muhammad Muwanga Kivumbi, with the violence reportedly concentrated in Bugoye Village, Gombe Town Council.
Efforts to obtain official confirmation were unsuccessful. Calls to Katonga Regional Police Spokesperson Lydia Tumushabe and National Police Spokesperson Kituuma Rusoke were not answered by the time of publication.
Police have yet to issue a formal statement detailing the circumstances of the incident or the number of casualties.
One of the individuals reportedly killed has been identified as Ruth Nakanjako, with her death said to have been confirmed by her husband, Joseph Kyeyune, according to local accounts.
Unverified reports indicate that the clashes began at around 7:40pm, after a group of youths allegedly protested disputed election results in the area. The situation reportedly escalated when security forces intervened to disperse the crowd.
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Witnesses claim that some youths threw stones at officers, prompting security personnel to respond with live ammunition. The exact sequence of events, including who authorised the use of lethal force, remains unclear.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions across Uganda following a tightly contested election, with opposition groups and civil society organisations raising concerns about the use of force by security agencies.
Authorities have repeatedly stated that deployments are intended to maintain law and order during the electoral period.
With no official briefing yet issued, details surrounding the Butambala violence remain fragmentary, and independent verification of the death toll is ongoing.
