Kampala Lord Mayor Ssalongo Erias Lukwago has been physically assaulted by the government spokesperson Ofwono Opondo after a heated debate on a TV Live Show.
The incident happened on Thursday night as the two were part of the panel of NBS TV Frontline analyzing Soroti City East by elections where NRM scored a victory in elections marred by arrest of opposition leaders and polling agents.
Opondo’s fury was sparked off by Lukwago continuing to speak when it was Ofwono Opondo’s time to speak, as Lukwago kept on criticizing NRM government’s irregularities in Soroti by elections.
Opondo asked Lukwago to ‘shut’ his mouth or else he forces him out of the studio before he shortly stood up in an attacking gesture.
“I can recall, you have ever shot someone” Lukwago is overheard telling Opondo as he’s ordered to ‘Shut Up’ reminding the government spokesperson when he shot and killed one Geofrey Lubega in 2004.
NBS producers quickly removed the studio session from air in order to calm the situation off air.
Erias Lukwago says he passed through a ‘horrible’ situation, worried of his safety while planning to leave NBS Television premises.
Short of words to explain what has happened to me at the NBS TV Frontline. Horrible, despicable!!. Fellow Ugandans, it’s Horrible. My only prayer is that I get out of this place safely!
— Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago (@EriasLukwago_) July 28, 2022
Kizza Besigye who was disgusted by the conduct of Ofwono Opondo wondered how NBS Television can fail to shield its guests from attacks by fellow panelists.“It’s sad that the media house can’t secure their guests.” He said
Besigye further said that Ofwono Opondo was still making further threats to attack Lukwago even when they were off air.
Here is the video