LUWERO, Uganda — At least three people have been killed and 34 others arrested following night-long protests in Luwero Town Council, after tensions escalated over the handling of election results.
Police say the unrest began at around 7:00pm on Thursday, after security personnel blocked members of the public from accessing Luwero Islamic Primary School polling station, where vote counting was underway.
The station, located within school premises, was reportedly closed to the public, leaving only accredited polling agents inside to observe the process.
The move angered supporters of candidates from the National Unity Platform (NUP), who protested what they described as a lack of transparency. Tensions intensified as allegations spread within the town that the vote was being manipulated in favour of candidates from the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).
As protests grew, demonstrators erected barricades and set tyres ablaze along the Kampala–Gulu highway, paralysing traffic and disrupting transport for several hours.
Police and soldiers from the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) were deployed to disperse the crowds, firing tear gas and live ammunition, according to local accounts. The confrontation lasted close to six hours, plunging parts of the town into chaos.
During the violence, three people were killed by suspected stray bullets. They have been identified as Sarah Nagayi, 36, a resident of Kikubajinja; Ibrahim Sserubiri, 18, from Mabbale Zone; and Robert Sseninde, a resident of Lumu Zone.
Savannah Regional Police Spokesperson Sam Twiineamazima confirmed that 34 people were arrested during the unrest for allegedly throwing stones, burning tyres and blocking the highway. He said the suspects are being held at Luwero Central Police Station and are expected to be charged with inciting violence and damaging the road infrastructure.
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Security forces reportedly regained control of the town at around midnight, after which a heavy deployment remained in place across Luwero Town Council.
Security has also been reinforced at the Luwero District headquarters, where the official declaration of presidential and parliamentary election results is still pending, underscoring the fragile atmosphere as tallying continues.
The violence in Luwero adds to growing concerns by opposition groups and civil society organisations over the use of force by security agencies during Uganda’s electoral process, with authorities insisting that deployments are aimed at maintaining law and order.
