Voting at a polling station in Kyebando, Kampala, was briefly disrupted on Tuesday after supporters of rival Local Council I (LCI) chairperson candidates clashed over access to the voting area, prompting the deployment of the military to restore order.
The confrontation occurred at St Paul Primary School in Kyebando Centre Zone, where residents had gathered to elect their LCI chairperson. Supporters of incumbent chairperson Lazarus Kagimu, who is contesting as an independent candidate, reportedly took control of the entrance early in the morning and allowed entry only to people they identified as their supporters.
The move sparked protests from rival candidates, including National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer Hajji Musa Nsereko and independent candidate Samuel Mwanje, who accused the group of blocking eligible voters from accessing the polling station.
Several residents were caught up in the confusion, with some forced to remain outside the polling area even after their names had been called from the voters’ register.
Ronald, a resident of Kyebando Central Ward who said he has lived in the area for 19 years, said the actions of some candidates and their supporters had denied eligible voters an opportunity to exercise their democratic right.
He said residents had turned up to elect their leaders but instead found themselves caught in disputes between rival camps.
The standoff heightened tensions as residents pushed to gain access to the polling area while supporters of the competing candidates argued over who should be allowed inside. Police officers initially monitored the situation as the disagreement unfolded.
As tensions escalated, the military was deployed to restore order and regulate access to the polling station. Their intervention brought the situation under control, allowing voting to resume.
Several residents accused some candidates’ agents of using their positions at the entrance to frustrate voters believed to support rival candidates. They argued that access to the polling area should have been managed exclusively by election officials rather than supporters of any candidate.
The incident was among a handful of election-related disputes reported across the country, although voting in the LCI elections generally proceeded peacefully in most areas.