NRM MP: Our Mistake Was Thinking Violence Would Make Our Supporters More Courageous in Kawempe

The Kawempe North by-election has sparked significant discussion across Uganda, with political figures from different sides of the spectrum sharing their views on the violence that marred the election process.

Hon. Mukasa Mbidde, Deputy President of the Democratic Party (DP), and Hon. Barnabas Tinkasimire, an MP from the National Resistance Movement (NRM), provided their thoughts on NTV's On The Spot programme.

Hon. Tinkasimire questioned why the by-election was held under such violent circumstances. He suggested that the authorities anticipated an opposition victory, which, in his view, led to the use of violent tactics. Tinkasimire pointed out what he saw as a contradiction between the purpose of a by-election and the actions taken to disrupt the process.

Tinkasimire also criticised the role of journalists, calling them the "biggest culprits" in the Kawempe North by-election. He felt their ability to report on events was being undermined by the state.

Tinkasimire suggested that the District Police Commander (DPC) of Wandegeya should have resigned after the violence. He questioned the DPC’s decisions and suggested that they were damaging to public trust. Tinkasimire emphasised that the police's actions were excessive and needed to be addressed.

Hon. Mbidde described the conduct of the state during the by-election as unusual. He argued that the events in Kawempe North were part of a larger plan, with those in power testing new ways to control the political environment. Mbidde suggested that these actions indicated a shift towards more forceful political control of the next election.

Mbidde expressed concern about the direction the country is heading. He warned that continued violence and lack of accountability could lead to citizens taking matters into their own hands. Mbidde stressed that this could worsen unless changes were made to restore order.

Tinkasimire admitted that the NRM’s decision to use violence was a mistake. He acknowledged that the intention was to strengthen their support, but instead, it only escalated the situation, leading to their own RDC being beaten by security operatives.

"Our mistake was thinking that by resorting to violence, our supporters would become more courageous."

Mbidde proposed using the Kawempe North by-election as an opportunity to reform the Electoral Commission. He argued that such reform was needed to ensure that future elections, particularly the 2026 elections, would be free and fair.

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