Tensions escalated in Masaka city as Anti-riot Police resorted to teargas to disperse rowdy National Unity Platform (NUP) party supporters embroiled in a bitter scuffle over the party’s mobilization campaigns, known as Kunga.
The chaos erupted during a scheduled meeting at the NUP party offices on Hobert Street, called by local leaders, including Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja, who also serves as the NUP Chairperson in the area.
The meeting aimed to address various issues, including pronouncements on party members who had defected to the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), led by General Muhoozi Kainerugaba. However, tensions flared when a group of angry youths accused the conveners of selfish intentions and issued uncoordinated statements.
A scuffle ensued when Steven Lukyamuzi, the Kimanya-Kabonera division Chairperson, attempted to read a press statement affirming support for the Kunga mobilization campaign and allegiance to decisions made by the party headquarters. The situation escalated as youths from the audience tore apart the statement, alleging misrepresentation of their views and causing misunderstandings among the party’s top leadership.
In the chaos, NUP supporters surrounded the meeting conveners, leading to an altercation in which Mayor Florence Namayanja was hit with a plastic chair thrown at her forehead, prompting police intervention to restore order.
Ibrahim Mutesaasira, a NUP Party mobilizer, attributed the scuffle to top NUP leaders, accusing them of undermining local party structures and targeting elected leaders for personal gain. He specifically pointed fingers at Nyendo-Mukungwe MP Mathias Mpuuga Nsamba, whom the party intends to recall from the Parliamentary Commission over a service award controversy.
Mutesaasira alleged that defectors to the PLU, including some NUP councilors, were part of the disputed Kunga mobilization campaign, orchestrated by certain party leaders now acting hypocritically.
While Mayor Florence Namayanja declined to comment on the incident, Lukyamuzi reiterated their commitment to standing by and adhering to the directives of the party leadership.
In response to the unrest, the Police ordered the closure of the NUP offices for an unspecified period to prevent further incidents.
