The United States embassy in Uganda has spoken out against the violence that seems to be gaining currency in the ongoing campaigns for the 2016 general elections.
‘The US Embassy notes with concern what appears to be an increasingly tense campaign environment in the lead up to the 2016 elections in Uganda,’ the Embassy wrote in a statement released on December 22.
The US Embassy reaction comes in the wake of violent clashes in Ntungamo and in Omoro County in Northern Uganda, where scores of people were hurt.
‘Several recent campaign-related events, including the violence at Ntungamo and its aftermath, have the potential to undermine the potential for a free, fair and peaceful election. We urge all parties to exercise restraint, uphold the rights of all Ugandan citizens, and commit to resolving differences through peaceful dialogue,’ the release adds.
Following the Ntungamo debacle, President Yoweri Museveni weighed in and warned that those involved in the attacks against the National Resistance Movement (NRM) supporters in the south western Uganda town would face his wrath.
Subsequently, about two dozen ‘Go Forward’ supporters of presidential aspirant John Patrick Amama Mbabazi have been arrested.
