Three people are nursing gunshot wounds after a misunderstanding rose between ALISAM Company Ltd and Babughirina Butcher-men Development association Ltd over the cattle holding grounds and abattoir in Mpondwe Lhubiriha town council in Kasese District.
According to reports, the trio was wounded when police and the army opened fire to end skirmishes between the officials of ALISAM Company Ltd and members of Babughirina Butcher-men Development Association Ltd.
The wounded have been identified as 22-year-old Abdu Mutegheki, a resident of Katodoba-Nyabutundu in Mpondwe town council and Dan Benja from Isingiro District who are currently admitted at Bwera General Hospital.
Sylvester Mapoze, the Mayor Mpondwe Lhubiriha Town council explains that Mutegheki was shot in the leg whereas Benja was shot in the right thigh. The third person whose identity is yet to be established is said to have been rushed to Kagando Hospital under critical condition.
According to Mapoze, a team of security personnel was seen blocking Lorries delivering livestock on Monday night not to enter the holding grounds, leading to chaos.
The tension between the two groups stems from disagreements on the market days as proposed by the Resident District Commissioner of Kasese District who had intervened into the matter.
Nicklus Mwebaze, a cattle trader and resident of Bushenyi who witnessed the shooting says, they were surprised to see Police and UPDF vehicles blocking the Babughirana Cattle holdings ground. Mwebaze alleges that his 20 head of cattle valued at Shillings 35 million disappeared without a trace.
Kasese District LC V chairperson Geoffrey Bigogo Sibendire says regulation of markets has no connection with the office of the RDC.