Petitions flood NRM electoral offices

More than 30 petitions of protest have been sent to the ruling party elections’ secretariat as the National Resistance Movement prepares to hold fresh elections in up to 46 districts tomorrow.

By yesterday, several people were flocking the party’s head offices in Kyaddondo, Kampala, to lodge complaints against what they said were fraudulently conducted elections in their respective constituencies.

Rising number
Ms Lydia Wanyoto, one of the commissioners, told this newspaper, “We are handling petitions as they come and since we are still receiving more I cannot give you a number.”

The Minister for Ethics and Integrity, Dr Nsaba Buturo and MP for Bufumbira East in Kisoro, who was defeated by Mr Eddie Kwizera Wa-Gahungu, said yesterday that he had teamed up with other party leaders in the district to demand a re-run.

“We are asking for a re-run because it was outright theft. The electoral process was hijacked by individuals and candidates were getting electoral materials from their homes,” he said.
The other affected MPs from Kisoro are Bahane Niyibizi (Bufumbira North) and Eudia Kwizera (Woman).

Mr David Ndibirize who lost to Rubabo County legislator Ms Paula Turyahikayo and Ms Winfred Matsiko (Rukungiri Woman) who lost to Public Service State Minister Sezi Mbaguta indicated that they are petitioning the party election body for redress.

In Gulu, the NRM party offices were awash with election petitions from candidates who feel they were cheated. District party registrar Peter Douglas Okao said his office had received 17 election petitions ranging from LC1 to MP level.

He said among the petitioners for MP flag bearer were Dr Fred Oyat who lost to Michael Ochora (Gulu Municipality) and Ms Lucy Larubi Kidega who was beaten by Grace Atim Oleyowiya for the Gulu Woman flag bearer position.

Harassed NRM electoral officials in Tororo abandoned their offices to escape angry supporters of various candidates who had camped at the premises since Tuesday calling for declaration of results. One official, Ms Catherine Etoori, is reported to have fled to Eldoret in neighbouring Kenya while her colleague, Mr Joseph Kadoketch, is in hiding.

Sorting mess
Tororo RDC Samuel Mpimbaza Hashaka, later announced new election staff would be sent from Kampala to sort out the mess. Five of the six candidates in the race for Tororo County party flag bearer say results presented did not reflect tallies recorded on election day.
In Adjumani, registrar Justine Kole said he had received one complaint which he said is pending approval from witnesses.

The incumbent woman MP of Lira, Ms Rebecca Otengo who beat her only rival, Ms Christine Ibo Mambo for the same position in the newly-created Alebtong District, is contending with the prospect of a petition after Ms Mambo said she would stand as an independent in next year’s general elections if her petition is not tolerated.

In Isingiro by last evening vote tallying was still ongoing for Isingiro North and Bukanga County while in Isingiro South, where voting took place in one sub-county of Ruborogota, the aspirants were rejecting the outcome.

Two of the aspirants; Kihika Buruki-Baraka and Jeff Rwakanuma told a press conference yesterday in Mbarara that they had petitioned the party’s electoral body.

An estimated two million votes are said to have been leaked just days to the holding of Monday’s NRM parliamentary and local council elections, according to sources at the NRM office in Kampala.

The NRM EC chairperson, Ms Felicistas Magomu, on Tuesday had admitted that ballot papers leaked especially in Kampala, Mukono, and Kayunga. She blamed the leakage on what she called “some badly behaved members who wanted to tarnish the image of the party