A ceremony to launch the construction of a bridge in Njumaga Cell, Nyendo-Mukungwe Division, descended into chaos on Friday after a public altercation erupted between Masaka Resident City Commissioner (RCC) Ahmad Washaki and Nyendo-Mukungwe Division Mayor Ronald Kasekende over the source of funding for the project.
The disagreement unfolded during the official launch of the Shs270 million bridge, which is expected to improve connectivity and ease transport challenges for residents in the area.
Tension arose shortly after Kasekende, who was recently sworn in as division mayor on the National Unity Platform (NUP) ticket, addressed residents gathered at the event.
In his remarks, Kasekende told residents that the funds for the bridge had been generated from taxes paid by Ugandans and urged them to continue fulfilling their tax obligations, saying such contributions enable government to provide services and implement development projects in local communities.
His comments, however, drew an immediate response from RCC Washaki, who was the chief guest at the function.
Washaki reportedly stood up from his seat and asked local bloggers and videographers to stop recording Kasekende’s speech, accusing the mayor of misleading the public about the source of the project’s financing.
The RCC insisted that the bridge was being funded through the intervention of President Yoweri Museveni and the central government, arguing that residents deserved accurate information about how the project had been secured.
The disagreement quickly escalated into a public standoff between the two leaders.
Washaki maintained that, as the President’s representative in Masaka City, he had the authority to stop Kasekende from addressing the gathering if he was disseminating false information.
Kasekende, however, rejected the assertion, insisting that as the elected political head of the division hosting the project, he had every right to explain its background and funding arrangements to residents.
Attempts by police officers and other officials to calm the situation proved unsuccessful as Kasekende continued speaking and declined to hand over the microphone.
Witnesses said the standoff intensified when Washaki moved toward Kasekende in an apparent attempt to take the microphone from him, drawing cheers from sections of the crowd that appeared to support the mayor.
When he eventually addressed residents, Washaki reiterated that the bridge was a government-funded project and urged residents to support the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM), arguing that they continued to benefit from government programmes despite largely voting for opposition leaders.
The confrontation is the second public dispute involving the two leaders in less than a month.
The previous incident occurred in Bugabira during the distribution of government-supplied hoes, where Washaki insisted that beneficiaries present national identity cards before receiving the tools.
Kasekende opposed the requirement, arguing that all intended beneficiaries should receive the hoes regardless of whether they had identification documents at hand.
The disagreement was eventually defused by Masaka City Clerk Daniel Kaweesi, who appealed to both leaders to avoid public confrontations and allow the exercise to proceed smoothly.
Relations between Washaki and several political leaders in Masaka have remained strained in recent years. Last year, reports that he had been transferred to Moroto as RDC were reportedly welcomed by some city leaders, with Masaka City Mayor Florence Namayanja said to have organised a farewell event before the transfer was later reversed.
Despite the recurring clashes, Kasekende says he respects the office of the Resident City Commissioner but believes elected local leaders should also be accorded respect and recognition in communicating and implementing government and local development projects.
Construction of the bridge is expected to commence soon, with government committing about Shs270 million to the project.
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