Locals in Kayunga district are today casting the ballot to choose their LC5 chairman in what has been largely perceived as low turn up by-elections.
Six candidates including representatives from the Democratic Party(DP),National Resistance Movement (NRM)and the National Unity Platform (NUP)are in the race. However, the race is tight between Andrew Muwonge -NRM and Harriet Nakwede -NUP
Voting kicked off by 7 am at most polling stations with scanty turn up of locals. The polls are slowly picking momentum with presence of slightly longer cues in the scorching sun at various polling stations.
Besides that,there have been isolated incidents of ballot stuffing reported in at least three polling stations since morning. NUP members have accused their NRM counterparts of tampering with the ballot papers to ensure a landslide victory.
At Kyato-Mwoloola and Nakyesanja polling stations in Kayonza sub county and Seeta-Nyiize in Kangulumira sub county voting was halted after pre ticked ballot papers appeared in favour of Muwonge .
At Nakyesanja and Kyato, both presiding officers were alone at the stations but had boxes stuffed with ballot papers ticked for the NRM candidate.
Meanwhile at Kangulumira, specifically Nakyesanja polling station, the box was stuffed with over 462 ballot papers before even the biometric machine was brought to the station.
At all the polling stations, residents have boycotted the exercise.Police and the army have cordoned off the stations to prevent chaos, the exercise is still on a standstill. Presiding officers are under police protection at their respective centers.
Dr Tanga Odoi,the NRM EC boss has asked that the electoral commission dispatch a team to sort out the matter so that the voting exercise continues.
“What we want is for Byabakama to sort out the mess,if there is a problem ,it shouldn’t be solved on the streets but meeting the officials and the elections go forward.I have been monitoring the area and I don’t know if ballots were pre-ticted,we cannot cancel because people are there to vote,”
Justice Simon Byabakama, the Electoral Commission Chairperson who is also in Kayunga heading the supervision of the exercise says they have dispatched to reach areas where the incidents have happened so as to find a solution.
“I have received reports of alleged ballot stuffing,some people claim by 7am ,ballot papers were already full .Our teams are verifying these reports and if we ascertain that it is true we shall take all the necessary action and follow the law,” he said
