A murder suspect facing trial has been elected Local Council I (LC1) chairperson of Corner Zone Village in Kawempe Division after defeating the incumbent in a tightly contested election.
Gerald Sande secured 191 votes against Mathius Mulumba’s 160 votes, ending Mulumba’s tenure as village chairperson.
Sande’s victory attracted attention during the polls, with his supporters displaying a large campaign poster bearing his image as they lined up after the voter verification exercise.
The newly elected LC1 chairperson is currently on remand over murder charges linked to an alleged mob justice incident in which a man accused of theft was killed.
Sande was first arrested and charged before Nabweru Chief Magistrate’s Court, where he was granted bail. However, the court later cancelled the bail, resulting in his re-arrest and continued detention.
Despite being in custody, Sande was allowed to participate in the LC1 elections and went on to win the village leadership position.
Some residents raised concerns over his past activities, with Jane Nansamba, a Corner Zone resident, alleging that Sande had become known in the area for conducting night patrols while armed with a panga, claiming he was protecting residents from criminal gangs.
Nansamba alleged that Sande sometimes took matters into his own hands and linked him to incidents involving mob justice against suspected criminals.
However, some residents defended his election, saying his popularity was driven by his efforts to confront insecurity in the area.
Tony Muyunga, a resident who supported Sande, argued that the outgoing chairperson had become less active after relocating away from the village. He accused the previous leadership of failing to address rising insecurity, including attacks by gangs accused of assaulting residents with paving stones and stealing mobile phones.
Muyunga said Sande’s involvement in community security initiatives had earned him support among residents, who believe he can help improve safety in the area.
Corner Zone is among the three villages that make up Kazo-Angola Parish in Kawempe Division, an informal settlement inhabited by people from different parts of Uganda.
Security was heightened during the election, with police, the Counter-Terrorism Police and the Uganda People’s Defence Forces (UPDF) deployed to maintain peace and respond to any possible incidents.
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