MASAKA.Police in Masaka City are investigating circumstances under which a car belonging to a ruling National Resistance Movement member in Masaka City went up in flames .
Kamaadi Matovu, a boda boda rider and Butego Ward councillor aspirant, claims his Toyota Carina, registration number UAD 438F, caught fire after he left it by the roadside on Monday evening when it developed a mechanical problem during a mobilisation drive for President Museveni.
“I had spent the whole day moving around the area mobilising support for President Museveni,” Matovu said.
“When the car got a mechanical fault, I decided to leave it by the roadside and planned to call a mechanic in the morning. I never imagined I would return to find it burned completely.”
Matovu said he was alerted by residents who knocked on his door in the middle of the night to inform him that the vehicle was on fire. He rushed to the scene but found the blaze too strong to control.
“I tried to rush and put out the fire, but it was too late. Everything was gone,” he said.
He insisted the incident was politically motivated.
“This car had campaign posters all over it. I believe this was a targeted attack. I am asking my party leaders to help me get justice and recover what I have lost.”
Southern Regional Police Spokesperson Twaha Kasirye said investigations into the incident had kicked off .
“We have started investigations to establish what exactly happened and whether there was foul play,” he said. “We call on all parties to remain calm and allow the police to do their work.”
Shakib Muswangali, the NRM youth chairperson for Kijjabwemi, condemned the incident and called for swift investigations.
“This is not just an attack on Matovu; it is an attack on the NRM in Masaka,” he said. “Whoever is behind this must be identified. We cannot tolerate acts that seek to intimidate our members and derail our mobilisation efforts.”
However, a separate group of NRM members led by Abudallah Senabulya, the Greater Masaka Boda Boda chairman, disputed Matovu’s version of events.
They accused him of orchestrating the fire himself in a bid to attract attention and possibly secure a new vehicle from party leaders.
“For a long time, he has been talking about burning this car just to get a new one,” Senabulya said.
“He even attempted to burn it recently near Shell Buddu where he was staying, but we warned him because of the fuel station. To us, this is not a political attack — he torched it himself hoping the President would compensate him.”