Thugs clobber FDC supporters in Kayunga, Besigye calls for calm

According to this Daily Monitor article by  Fred Muzaale, some wrong elements are shamelessly employing ugly tactics as we draw close to voting day

At least 50 Forum for Democratic Change supporters in Kayunga District are nursing serious injuries after they were allegedly clobbered by unidentified gangs suspected to be from the ruling National Resistance Movement party.

The district FDC mobiliser, Mr Asadi Naliku, said yesterday the supporters were beaten on Tuesday while lining up on the roadsides to welcome the Inter-Party Cooperation presidential candidate, Dr Kizza Besigye, who was scheduled to address them.

Mr Naliku said the thugs who beat the FDC supporters were traveling in two Kayunga district administration pick-up vehicles whose registration numbers they concealed.

The FDC mobiliser said the residents have since established that one of the vehicles belongs to the Kayunga District Chairman’s office.

When contacted, the chairman, Mr Thomas Mulondo, said he no longer uses the said vehicle since he embarked on his re-election campaigns, adding that he was not aware of the incident.

Mr Naliku, however, said the police have not taken any action over the incident, which happened in broad daylight.

Mr Samuel Lubuulwa of Kiziika village in Nazigo Sub-county, a victim, said he was standing on the roadside holding Besigye’s campaign poster when a speeding pick-up truck screeched to a halt.

“They asked why I was holding Besigye’s poster and when I told them that I was an FDC supporter, they beat me and sped off,” Mr Lubuulwa said.

A source at Kayunga Police Station who preferred not to be named, said police had not received any complaint about the matter.

“We are just hearing rumours but no one has come to file a case with us,” the source said. Addressing a rally in the town later, Dr Besigye asked the people to “play it cool”, saying “the NRM government had only four weeks in power”.

“Those people who are beating my supporters should know that it pays to behave well in society,” Dr Besigye said.