A sensitization meeting organized by the Kasemisego Women Kwifatanya and Youth Development groups turned chaotic on Monday after Kisoro Municipality parliamentary aspirant Emmanuel Maniraguha, also known as Tourland, allegedly assaulted elderly women in attendance.
The one-day meeting, held at the residence of Gabriel Hatega in Kasemisego Village, Southern Division, Kisoro Municipality on Monday, aimed to equip local residents with skills in piggery and poultry farming as a strategy for poverty alleviation. It followed the recent launch of a piggery project in the area, spearheaded and funded by another MP aspirant, Dr. Leo Mfitimana. The project was scheduled for official commissioning on the same day.
According to eyewitnesses, including Elias Igiraneza and Sam Mbabazi, security guards stationed at Hatega’s residence, chaos broke out when Maniraguha arrived unannounced and demanded to enter the venue. Upon gaining access, he allegedly began slapping elderly women and tearing up the attendance sheets as the meeting was in progress.
CUE IN SECURITY GUARDS……ON CHAOS…….RR//
The incident triggered outrage among several residents who accused Maniraguha of violently disrupting a peaceful community event intended to empower women and youth. Many condemned his actions, urging him to conduct his campaigns with respect and avoid sabotaging community-led development efforts.
CUE IN LOCALS……ON MATTER……RR//
Addressing attendees after the disruption, Dr. Leo Mfitimana strongly condemned the alleged violence. He emphasized the need for unity in development and criticized Maniraguha for targeting women and youth aligned with President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni’s call to embrace practical poverty-eradication initiatives.
CUE IN MFITIMANA……..ON VIOLENCE…..RR//
Dr. Mfitimana further reiterated that sustainable national development relies on empowering vulnerable groups, especially women and youth, through community-driven and skills-based projects, not political conflict and disruption.
However, in a later interview at Kaneti Hotel in Kisoro Municipality, Maniraguha admitted to visiting Hatega’s home. He claimed the meeting had not received proper authorization to be held on what he described as family property.
He said he asked the participants to leave and confiscated the attendance list, which he later submitted to Kisoro Central Police Station, where a case was reportedly filed.
CUE IN MANIRAGUHA……..ON MATTER……RR//
