The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Arua, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Suzan Pirio, the personal assistant of Sheila Obia, the National Unity Platform-NUP Arua City Woman parliamentary candidate is nursing injuries after allegedly being assaulted by supporters from the rival camp in Aripezu village in Ayivu West over the weekend.
She was reportedly kicked and boxed by men donning the campaign T-shirts of Mourine Osoru as she attempted to safeguard Obia from rowdy youths at a campaign venue. Prior, who managed to hide her boss in a vehicle, was surrounded by the youth before she could jump in the vehicle.
Speaking to URN in Lugbara on Monday, Pirio said the visibly drunken youths emerged from another campaign venue and passed where they were campaigning from. She says the youths started insulting them and ordered them to vacate their village.
“We were at our rightful venue talking to the people who had gathered in a home, but to our surprise, we saw a group of youths advancing towards us and chanting Osoru’s name. When they reached the home with a mobile music system, them surrounded us and told us to leave their village,” said Pirio.
According to Pirio, on sensing danger, she quickly ordered her candidate Obia to run for safety in their vehicles before she was roughed up by three youths who kicked and slapped her. Pirio says notified police about the assault but didn’t register a case since she couldn’t identify the attackers.
“They kept following us with determined to fight us again but the presence of some people who paid attention to what was happening. If they continue to disrupt our official program, we shall take measures against them,” she said. Lugbara Audio
Sheila Obia, who escaped the attack, says she is considering recording a statement at Arua Central Police station in connection to the attack.
Ronald Okuti, a resident who witnessed the attack, says they survived by God’s mercy because the rowdy youths were determined to injure them.
Efforts to get a comment from Obia’s rival, Mourine Osoru on the incident didn’t yield results and she neither picked nor returned repeated calls from our reporter.
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