Supporters of Former Ntungamo MP Kabasharira Block Road, Protest over Rushenyi County NRM Flag

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Ntungamo – Transport along the Kabale – Mbarara road was on Friday paralyzed after supporters of Naome Kabasharira erected roadblock along the Kabale- Mbarara road

The agitated supporters demanded the resignation of Rushenyi county NRM EC leaders and sought the declaration of Naome Kabasharira as the NRM Flag bearer for Rushenyi county Ntungamo district instead of Minister Rukutana.

Demonstrations rocked Rwahi trading centre, Nshenyi, Omungyenyi and Rubaare, where supporters of Naome Kabasharira, the former Ntungamo woman MP in the 9th parliament, who stood with State Minister of Labour, employment and industrial Relations Mwesigwa Rukutana.

*Supporters of Naome Kabasharira, the former Ntungamo Woman MP protested on Friday Preliminary results showed she was neck-to-neck with Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana.*

The angry protesters cut off the Kabale – Mbarara highway with logs and rocks, stopping all traffic from moving.

The protests which kicked off as early as 8 am Friday morning after Kabasharira supporters anticipated that there were plans to declare Rukutana as the winner.

Damian Katwesiime, the Ntungamo DPC revealed Police could not tolerate such behaviour.

“Hon Naome Kabasharira’s supporters held demonstrations by putting stones in the road blocking traffic,” Katwesiime said.

DPC Katwesiime added: “We understand that they are expressing their discontent but they are doing so in the wrong way. That’s why we came in and dispersed them. If they want to show their discontent by demonstrating, there are laid out channels to go through, including petitioning the NRM.”

Commenting on the same incident, the Rwizi regional police spokesperson Samson Kasasira said the protesters had chosen the wrong path.

“They are protesting elections which I think have not been announced yet. That is not acceptable,” he said

Earlier this week, the same supporters of Kabasharira held similar demonstrations when they heard that their candidate was trailing Minister Mwesigwa Rukutana in the preliminary results announced by the NRM electoral commission.

These called for the resignation of the Ntungamo NRM Registrar Maria Mirembe

Police fired bullets and tear gas to disperse them.

Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM Electoral Commission chairman revealed Tuesday that after a vote recount, Rukutana was leading his contender Naome Kabasharira by 20 votes.

He promised to announce the final results yesterday Thursday which he didnt.

Initially, Kabasharira had been declared the winner of the election with 24,006 votes against Rukutana garnered 23,966 votes leaving a difference of only 40 votes