Vote rigging allegations mar west elections

Tension is rife in Buliisa District ahead of the NRM primaries which will be held tomorrow. The Buliisa MP, Mr Stephen Mukitale Biraahwa, has pointed accusing fingers at his political rival, Dr Godfrey Kamugisha, and police over what he describes as “a systematic effort to deny me victory”

Mr Biraahwa claims Kampala based businessmen, who are interested in grabbing land adjacent to oil sites, are financing campaigns of some candidates whom they want to use as conduits to achieve their business interests.

He alleges that his political opponents are openly bribing voters, adding that police have not responded to his request for intervention.
“Police is being partisan in this election. It is favouring my opponents,” he said.

Mr Biraahwa faces a stiff contest from Dr Kamugisha in elections which was postponed on Monday. However, Dr Godfrey Kamugisha said the accusations against his camp are baseless.

Police has denied claims of being partisan. “Those are baseless claims. We are impartial and doing our work as stipulated by the law,” the midwestern regional police spokesperson, Ms Zurah Ganyana, said yesterday.

The Police has instead accused Mr Biraahwa of attempting to disrupt the polling exercise. In Kabarole, Fort Municipality MP Steven Kaliba, has accused Local Government Minister and Bunyangabu MP, Mr Adolf Mwesige and the Kabarole NRM chairman, Mr Godfrey Nyakahuma, of trying to rig the elections in favour of his opponent.
Wrangle in Kabarole
“I beg Hon Mwesige and Nyakahuma to leave the people of Fort Portal to chose a leader of their choice. They have been here in secret meetings with my opponent,” Mr Kaliba said on Wednesday.

There is a tight race between Mr Kaliba and Mr Alex Ruhunda for the NRM MP flag bearer for Fort Portal Municipality. Elections were due on Monday but were postponed to Saturday after some election materials were missing. Due to hostilities among the supporters on either side, both aspirants were allowed to run parallel campaigns as opposed to joint rallies.

When contacted, Mr Mwesige said: “Am a citizen of Uganda and an MP in Kabarole. No one can stop me from coming to Fort Portal Town.”
He said: “ I have not decampaigned him, let him accept the people’s veto on Saturday.”

Mr Nyakahuma said: “I don’t vote in Fort Portal but I have to be there to see how things are going for my party. His opponent is a general secretary for the party at the district. Definitely we must meet him as people in the same level of office.”

Kibaale arrests
In Kibaale, police are holding six people who were allegedly found in possession of ballot papers in Katikara, Bugangaizi East Constituency.
“The suspects were nabbed yesterday (Tuesday) with ballot papers tied in a polythene bag,” the officer in charge of criminal investigations, Mr Micheal Ogwal, said.

Mr Ogwal said investigations indicate that the suspects had planned to use the ballot papers to rig elections. The police have also arrested a candidate for the Ruteete Sub-county seat over allegations of bribing voters.

“The suspect was arrested by residents of Nkazekolera trading centre in Ruboona parish dishing out 3 sachets of salt with the intention of inducing voters to support him,” Mr Ogwal said.However, the suspect has denied the accusations, insisting that his arrest is politically motivated.

The Hoima NRM secretariat has released partial results for the NRM primaries that were held on Monday and Tuesday.
The Hoima NRM administrative secretary, Mr Erifaz Kiiza Rujumba announced the 2nd Deputy Premier and Public Service Minister, Mr Henry Kajura as the NRM flag bearer for Hoima Municipality after he polled 10,113 votes. Mr Kajura’s opponents, Dr Patrick Mwesigwa Isingoma got 5,593 votes and Mr Richard Baguma got 1,496.

Hoima waits
“Only two polling stations are yet to submit their results” Mr Rujumba said.
Ms Tophas Kaahwa polled 8,808 against Hoima Woman MP Beatrice Byenkya, who got 5,717 votes while Ms Harriet Businge polled 5,375.
In Buhaguzi County, the Insingiro deputy RDC, Mr Julius Junjura Bigirwa polled 10,341 votes while the incumbent MP Tom Kyahurwenda got 8,760 votes.

The legislator is currently detained at Hoima police station and is due to be produced in court to answer charges of inciting violence, a charge he denies.