A dispute over the voters’ register during the recently concluded Local Council One (LC1) elections in Bududa District has turned deadly after a 58-year-old man was allegedly beaten to death while attempting to stop a fight at a polling station.
The deceased, Michael Shiisa, a resident of Buwuma Cell in Khama Ward, Nangako Town Council, succumbed to injuries he sustained after intervening in a violent confrontation that erupted before voting on July 28.
According to eyewitnesses, tensions flared after residents questioned the authenticity of the voters’ register. The register, which had previously contained 81 eligible voters, reportedly had 110 names on election day, triggering accusations that additional names had been irregularly added.
Presiding officer Perez Namukowa reportedly observed that the register contained entries written in three different handwriting styles, further fueling suspicion among voters and dividing supporters at the polling station.
Bududa Resident District Commissioner Juliet Salome Namara, who was present at the scene, confirmed that disagreements over the voters’ register were at the heart of the confrontation. Attempts by Nangako Town Council registrar Eric Fungo to resolve the dispute reportedly failed as tempers escalated.
Witnesses said Shiisa stepped in to calm the situation after a physical fight broke out. During the chaos, he was allegedly assaulted by children of one of the LC1 chairperson candidates, Laurence Kakala.
Shiisa was rushed to Bududa Hospital before being referred to Mbale Regional Referral Hospital for specialized treatment. However, he later died from the injuries he sustained.
His death has left residents of Nangako Town Council in shock and mourning, with many describing him as an innocent peacemaker who lost his life while trying to prevent further violence.
Police later deployed to the home of Laurence Kakala following the incident, but the suspects alleged to have participated in the assault had reportedly fled before officers arrived. By Thursday, no arrests had been announced, although police said investigations were ongoing.
The incident is among several cases of unrest reported during Uganda’s nationwide LC1 elections, where village chairpersons and committees were elected. Although voting was conducted peacefully in most parts of the country, some polling stations experienced disputes over voters’ registers, allegations of electoral malpractice and isolated incidents of violence.
Community leaders in Bududa have appealed for calm as investigations continue, urging residents to allow the law to take its course. They have also called on electoral authorities to review the circumstances surrounding the disputed voters’ register to restore public confidence in grassroots elections.
The death of Michael Shiisa has renewed calls for tighter safeguards during village elections, with residents emphasizing that disagreements over electoral procedures should never cost a person their life.
