The opposition Justice Forum has admonished the extremist politics of National Unity Platform (NUP) in the death of Betungura, a second year student of Uganda Christian University, who was murdered during a chaotic guild election campaigns on Thursday at Makerere University.
In a statement released today, Justice Forum also known as JEEMA, accused NUP for vulgarizing student politics Students through introduction of violence and terror, and for directing anger towards fellow opposition instead of fighting the ‘dictatorship.’
In a statement issued by police on Friday, it is alleged that during the last guild Presidential open campaigns at rugby grounds Makerere University, a scuffle ensued between FDC and NUP supporters that resulted in the stabbing of the deceased, by students who were allegedly led by Kassanda MP Kabuye Frank.
It was later established that the 27-year old victim was a law student at Uganda Christian University Kampala Campus and resident of Kikoni Zone B, Makerere 3 Parish Kawempe Division in Kampala. It is alleged he had come to campaign for his friend Justus tukamushaba and OB at Mbarara High School.
Initial investigations by police indicated that the NUP team led by Kabuye Frank turned violent after a disagreement, leading to the stabbing. Kabuye Frank was arrested today alongside Ssekidde Allan and Kabuurwa Muzafaru on belief that they were part of the chaos.
“The goons first laid a siege on JEEMA guild candidate’s camp with sticks, machetes and knives but police patrol units came to their rescue, but not before several of them had sustained grave injuries. Among those injured include Nakamya Mariam. Lubwama Moses and Isiko Gerald” Ndagire Shifah -JEEMA Party Deputy Spokesperson said.
Ndagire says, NUP supporters made a second attempt on the JEEMA procession again at the junction of College of Business and Management Studies (COBAMS) where two vehicles were damaged, including a Prado Land Cruiser and a Toyota Wish belonging to JEEMA officials.
“We have received reliable information that these goons were collected from areas of Katanga, Bwaise, Kamwokya, Katwe, Naguru and Kisenyi, allegedly by NUP…We demand full investigation into this matter and the conclusive prosecution of the murderer(s)” She adds in the statement.
“As a party, we condemn in strongest terms the emerging habits of hooliganising political undertakings by whoever is engaged in the same, regardless of their political leaning and affiliation. We want to request higher institutions of learning to limit the participation in students politics to students in the institutions alone to avoid occurrences of such nature.”
“Lastly, we request NUP leadership to control their supporters in such instances. Students politics should be left to students. The anger and terror should be directed to fighting the dictatorship not to fellow colleagues” JEEMA notes.
By Friday, the body of the deceased had been conveyed to city mortuary Mulago for Postmortem from Makerere hospital where he succumbed to the wound. Police Deputy Spokesperson Luke Owoyesigyire said CCTV footages will be retrieved to aid in the ongoing investigations.
