Uganda: 22 die in post-election violence

At least 22 people have been killed in western Uganda in violence spurred by disputed local elections almost three weeks ago, the African nation’s police force said.

Clashes after the February 24 polls arose “from dissatisfaction by some candidates and their supporters” in the country’s Bundibugyo district, police chief Kale Kayihura said on Sunday in a statement on the force’s website.

The violence included one person being shot dead, leading to retaliatory attacks that killed 15 civilians, he said.

Six other people were killed by police in Kasese district in two separate attempts to seize weapons, Kayihura said. Four soldiers and two police officers were also injured. Both the western districts border the Democratic Republic of Congo.