BUWENGE, Jinja District — The Minister for the Presidency and Woman Member of Parliament for Budiope West, Hon. Babirye Milly Babalanda, on Wednesday and Thursday represented President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni at the burial ceremonies of two residents who were killed during violence that erupted in the Local Council I (LC1) elections in Buwenge Town Council, Jinja District.
The victims lost their lives on Tuesday, July 28, after clashes broke out at Buwenge Progressive Academy Polling Station in Kabi Zone, prompting security personnel to open fire.
The deceased were identified as Fred Kalulu, 19, a resident of Market Zone in Buwenge Town Council, who died at the scene, and Latibu Ikaali, 23, who later succumbed to gunshot wounds at Jinja Regional Referral Hospital.
Addressing mourners, Minister Babalanda conveyed President Museveni’s heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families and the people of Buwenge.
“The President is saddened by this loss of life. Government will ensure that investigations are conducted and that those responsible are held accountable according to the law,” she said.
The Minister condemned election-related violence, stressing that democratic processes should never result in the loss of lives. She urged residents to resolve electoral disputes peacefully through established legal mechanisms rather than resorting to violence.
She also faulted local security leadership for failing to prevent the incident, saying disciplinary action would be taken against Resident District Commissioners (RDCs) found to have neglected their responsibilities.
“RDCs are the heads of security in the districts. How can you look at such a situation and fail to handle it? This term, we shall not tolerate officers who are sleeping on the job, and immediate action will be taken,” she said.
Babalanda reminded RDCs and security agencies that their primary responsibility during elections is to safeguard lives and maintain law and order.
“Elections are about choosing leaders, not about shedding blood. As RDCs and security agencies, they must ensure that such incidents do not happen again,” she added.
She further directed Resident District Commissioners, the Uganda Police Force and other security agencies in Jinja District and across the country to strengthen security coordination and supervision during electoral processes to guarantee the safety of voters, candidates and election officials.
The Minister also instructed local leaders and security agencies to intensify community sensitisation on peaceful participation in elections as a way of preventing future violence.
As part of the government’s support, each bereaved family received Shs10 million from President Museveni and an additional Shs5 million from the Inspector General of Police.
Minister Babalanda expressed sympathy to the grieving families and apologised on behalf of the government for the tragic loss of their loved ones.
Religious leaders and local officials who attended the burials appealed for calm and urged young people not to allow themselves to be manipulated into engaging in election-related violence.
The LC1 elections are part of Uganda’s decentralisation framework aimed at strengthening grassroots governance and improving service delivery at the village level. Leaders at the burial emphasised that the democratic exercise should unite communities and provide an opportunity for citizens to choose their leaders peacefully, rather than becoming a source of violence and loss of life.
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