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Cases of violence against women in Ntoroko have increased in the ongoing political campaigns. The women are being battered by their husbands for supporting candidates their husbands don't approve of.
The men are also depriving the women of their rights to attend campaign rallies of their preferred candidates or are forced to attend rallies of candidates who their husbands support.
In one of the cases, Farida Kabahuma, a resident of Karugutu trading centre in Karugutu Sub County was on Monday severely beaten by her husband Enock Katuramu.
Trouble started when Kahuma pinned in their house a poster of Martin Mugarra an independent candidate for MP Ntoroko County yet Katuramu supports Brian Asiimwe, the incumbent MP.
A fight ensued in which, Kabahuma suffered severe injuries and was admitted to Karugutu Medical Centre. Speaking to Uganda Radio Network at the medical centre, Kabahuma who has wounds all over her face resulting from the beatings says that her husband asked her why she hanged a poster of Mugarra and not Asiimwe.
When her husband ordered her to remove it, she refused and then beat her. Kabahuma has filed a case of assault at Karugutu police station.
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On Thursday, Betty Natukunda a resident of Rwebisengo trading centre was also assaulted by her husband because she is a campaign agent of Kizza Besigye, the Inter Party Cooperation (IPC) presidential candidate. Her husband supports President Museveni, the NRM party presidential candidate.
Gertrude Kemigisa, a supporter of the Democratic Party in Rwebisengo says that her husband has refused her to attend any campaign rallies of Misairi Mukwenda, the DP candidate for Ntoroko parliamentary seat. Kemigisa says that she is forced by her husband to attend the rallies of Brian Asiimwe, the incumbent MP Ntoroko County.
Kemigisa says that she has missed the opportunity to listen to what issues her candidate will address when elected.
Margaret Katusabe, the in-charge Criminal Investigations Department at Ntoroko Police Station says that since the campaigns started, 50 cases have been reported by women who are being battered by their husbands.
She says that the police have managed to arrest fifteen men and have appeared before the courts of law for assault.
Katusabe says that the cases may be high but some women do not want to report to the police because they fear their husbands may revenge.
Elizabeth Kobugabe, the Executive Director of Rwenzori Women's Network says that it is strange for men to be beat their women because they do not support the same candidates.
Kobugabe says that women are human beings and have a right to support a candidate of their choice. She also says that the actions of the men may stop the women from voting candidates of their choice.
