KABALE – Police in Kabale are investigating circumstances that led to the shooting and injuring of a 52-year-old man at a political rally.
The victim has been identified as Venasio Byaruhanga a resident of Nyakita cell, Kitanga parish Buhara Sub-County, Kabale district.
He was shot by Venansio Kanyankore a Uganda Peoples Defence Forces soldier attached to the Kabale Resident District Commissioner’s office.
According to the Kigezi Regional Police spokesperson, Elly Maate it is alleged that on Saturday at around 6pm while at the NRM rally for the Buhara sub-county woman councillor Annet Kabagambe at Kafunjo health centre II, the victim continuously made deliberate interjections that distracted the speakers.
It is on this ground that he was taken away from the rally and in the process, he fought the guard to an extent of breaking the sealing rifle.
This forced Kanyankole to shoot him in self defence causing injuries on his left leg. He was rushed to Kabale referral hospital.
Police registered the case under reference SD 62/21/07/2018 as inquiries continue.
Darious Nandinda accused the victim of being drunk during the rally which made him unruly.
“We regret the shooting of this citizen but due to his drunken conduct, he became so unruly and started fighting the soldier who was trying to calm him down leading to the sad incident. I rushed him to hospital soon after and we hope he recovers fast,” said Nandinda.
However eyewitnesses said that the RDC ordered for the shooting of the victim during a scuffle that broke up when he opposed them openly.
“During the campaign the RDC asked voters not to support Kabagambe’s rival for allying with the Ndorwa East legislator, Wilfred Niwagaba. This angered Byaruhanga who stood up and openly criticised them. He was ordered to leave the ground and in the process of rejecting, that is when he was shot,” said one of the witnesses who preferred anonymity.