Security beefed up in Mawogola as Museveni’s brother Sodo Aine faces off with Kutesa’s daughter Musherure

Police has deployed heavily in Mawogola North and West in Sembabule District where ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) Primaries will be held on September 30.

Deputy Police Chief Maj Gen Sabiiti Muzeeyi has camped in the district since September 28.

He has met senior officers in the district for discussions on how to avert violence.

Police deployed at least 2,000 of its officers to ensure peaceful elections.

While other constituencies picked their NRM flag bearers on September 04, NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr Tanga Odoi postponed polling in Mawogola North and West over violence.

In Mawogola North, there were clashes between supporters, aides and guards of President Yoweri Museveni’s younger brother Godfrey Aine Sodo and Foreign Affairs Minister Sam Kutesa’s daughter Shartis Musherure.

For Mawogola West, the election was suspended after one of the contenders, Anifa Bangirana Kawooya, sustained injuries in clashes.

Museveni later met all the parties in Sembabule. In the meeting, Museveni made it clear that his “name should not come up when my biological relatives are contesting.”

He added: “On the issue of my relatives getting involved in politics. In Matthew 12: 46-50. Jesus says His brothers are those who do the will of His Father in Heaven.

“For me, like Jesus, my relatives are all and any NRM member who does the right thing according to the party constitution.”

Dr Tanga Odoi has warned that he will not extend elections in Mawogola again even if violence persists, warning that NRM will not have a candidate in 2021 parliamentary elections.

“I want to tell the people of Mawogola that this is the last chance for them to have primaries, if they disturb the primaries as a result of violence and demonstrations, we shall not hold elections there. We shall have a constituency without flag bearers,” warned Tanga Odoi.

The elections had been scheduled for September 28 but the party  pushed them to September 30 “to ensure electoral officials, security and candidates meet to agree on a number of things before the elections,” said NRM Secretary General Justine Kasule Lumumba.

The party also hoped to use the two-day extension to “enable stakeholders agree on how to carry out a peaceful election” and allow the contenders to clearly “get dos and don’ts that need to be followed.”