March 2001 Africa News Headlines

Monday, March 5, 2001 - Web posted at 8:20:03 AM GMT

Two dead in Uganda electoral violence

KAMPALA - Two people died after a campaign rally for this week's Ugandan presidential elections in Rukungiri, western Uganda, on Saturday evening, campaign officials said.

The rally was organised in support of Kizza Besigye, the strongest of five candidates opposing incumbent president Yoweri Museveni.

Latest opinion polls show Besigye trailing Museveni by 12 percentage points."

"After the rally at the Rukungiri stadium the army and police started shooting in the air and we know that two people died in the process," Besigye spokeswoman Anne Mugisha told Reuters yesterday.

People scattered, vehicles were destroyed and a temporary dusk-to-dawn curfew was imposed over the small town, she said.

Police spokesman Asuman Mugenyi declined to comment on the report.

The local Army commander said the troubles started on Friday evening when Besigye supporters pelted security agents with broken bottles.

But he denied that the army had shot anyone."

"If that had been the case the town would not be as calm as it is now," the state-owned Sunday Vision quoted him as saying.

Besigye has consistently criticised the deployment of army units in Rukungiri, hishome district, since January, claiming they were intimidating the population to vote for Museveni.

Campaigns for Uganda's presidential elections, due to take place on March 12, have been marred by numerous incidents of violence, mainly between Besigye and Museveni supporters.

- Nampa-Reuters

•  Big Brother Africa 3: The audacity of Hazel!
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Who's your winner?