Tension has heightened in Kagoma County in Jinja district ahead of the MP by-elections on Thursday.
The seat fell vacant in March this year after the court of Appeal Judges including Fredrick Engonda -Ntende, Paul Mugamba and Alfonse Owiny-Dollo annulled the election of Moses Walyomu over voter bribery.
The judges overturned an earlier ruling by Jinja High court that had rejected evidence presented by Walyomu's rival, Alex Brandon Kintu pinning him for voter bribery. The judges ordered for fresh polls to fill the vacant posts.
Early this month, Electoral Commission nominated four candidates including Moses Walyomu Muwanika, the NRM party candidate, his Forum for Democratic Change-FDC, Timothy Lusala Batuwa, Muhammad Bizimack Bidondole and Alex Brandon Kintu, both independents for the by elections.
But, there is tight competition between Walyomu and Kintu, who claim to have the backing of president, Yoweri Museveni the NRM party chairman. Although Alex Brandon Kintu is running as an independent, he has also printed yellow posters and banners with his photo and that of president Museveni with a symbol of a bicycle.
The tight competition has heightened tension among NRM party members leading to counter accusations. The rival camps accuse each other of mobilizing thugs to intimidate and terrorize voters.
On Monday afternoon, some of the residents appealed for heightened security deployment in the county during a meeting convened by the NRM Secretary General, Justine Kasule Lumumba at Kagoma county headquarters. Some of the voters said they are forced to sleep as early as 7pm for fear of being attacked by criminal gangs ahead of the polls. Abdul Muwaya, a resident of Butangaale LC I Village, says he has been attacked twice by hooligan for supporting one of the candidates.
He says the weed smoking youths have pitched camp in sugar cane plantations from where they hide. Moses Kawuzi, a resident of Kawuta village, says his wife was attacked by unidentified goons on her way from the garden on Friday evening for wearing a blue t-shirt.
Amos Nditi, a boda boda cyclist in Buwenge town, says he fled his gate after some people wearing black t-shirts and masks threatened to kill him. According to Nditi, the group moves in a blue numberless salon vehicle.
During the meeting, residents also appealed to police to continue with its operations even after elections. They also faulted police for demanding for money for fuel whenever they report the attacks. Asuman Mugenyi, the Director Operations Uganda Police Force assured residents that will handle the insecurity in the area. President, Museveni didn't comment on the splinter groups during his campaigns for Walyomu at Bulugo Primary School playground in Buyengo Sub County. He never the less warned those causing security threats to stop immediately.
The division within the party is also evident at campaigning grounds. There was no single poster for Walyomu at Budondo play grounds where Museveni held a second campaign rally.
John Rex Aachillaa, the Jinja district Resident Commissioner, says they are holding more than 50 people in connection to the attacks, adding that they have doubled deployment ahead of the polls.