A scheduled fund raising event has resulted in chaos after a presiding legislator’s conduct apparently irked opponents.
The microphone he was using was snatched away from him, with a group of angry youths chasing off the podium, deeper down the auditorium.
Teargas cannister was lobbed at the pulpit as tension escalated, sending scores of worshipers running helter-skelter.
All of these played out within the swampy Etono grounds in Bomachoge Borabu, where five Pentecostal Assemblies of God, PAG, churches had gathered for a fund-raising event.
All would probably have gone well, but for the fact that the event attracted rival politicians, six Members of Parliament, MPs, from different political parties.
All seemed to have gone well, until the presiding legislator, Sylvanus Osoro, South Mugirango MP and Chief Whip, at the podium made a comment.
Pockets of youths sandwiched among the congregants started jeering at him, and at a point, the microphone he was using was snatched away from him,
In fact, the youths chased him off the podium deeper into the dais where other MPs were sitting.
In the melee, a police officer unleashed a tear gas cannister, sending the attendees to scamper.
It took awhile to bring the situation under control, Bomachoge MP Obadiah Barongo said he had called Kibagendi as a “deployment to forestall attacks from the army of by United Democratic Alliance, UDA, MPs that had attended the function”.
Signs of trouble had manifested when the MP walked into the church escorted by dozens of unruly boda boda riders (commercial motorcyclists) who kept jeering at the UDA leaders as they addressed.
Star newspaper quotes South Mugirango MP, Sylvanus Osoro, as later, calming nerves but urged politicians to desist from violence especially in churches.
He equally apologised for the ugly turn of events.
“Nobody should die for any politician, all of us here are brothers. All of you will leave this function to your respective homes as we go to town to eat lunch together,” Osoro said.How indeed could politicians trade blows in church? The question would continue to resonate.