Arua municipality mayor’s car vandalised over suspected ballot stuffing
One of the suspects being forced onto police truck. The locals accused him of being part of the ballot stuffing team. PHOTO BY ALEX ESAGALA
What you need to know:
- Arua town has seen heavy deployment of both police and army, patrolling all the corners of the town. The army have unleashed the newly manufactured Nyoka vehicles to help in the patrols. The vehicles fitted with automatic guns have been strolling leisurely, with the fingers of the gun operators on triggers, ready to shoot.
- At least 12 candidates are vying for Arua municipality seat after it fell vacant in June when then representative Ibrahim Abiriga was assassinated.
Supporters of Mr Kassiano Wadri, an independent candidate in the Arua by-election, have smashed the windscreens of the car belonging to the mayor of Arua municipality, Mr Issa Kato. The angry voters accused Mr Kato of carrying pre-ticked ballot papers.
The incidence took place at Enyau Kebiri cell, where the mayor and his team had reportedly travelled to monitor the voting process.
A scuffle ensued in which one person was injured. The windscreens of the car used by Kato and his group was also vandalised, forcing him to abandon the venue.
While the youths also accused Kato of knocking one person, supporters of Nusura Tiperu said the person fell off the car after he attempted to jump on to grab one of the occupants.
Police were heavily deployed in the area to restore calm. The youths arrested one of Kato’s men and handed him over to the police, but they (police) were not willing to take him (suspect), and they released him after driving off the angry mob.
Mr Juma Khemis, one of the youths involved in the scuffle said Kato and his group were driving suspiciously when the youths intercepted him.
“We got him and his group trying to smuggle ballot papers that were already ticked. We forced him to open the vehicle and when he refused, we chased him away. We shall remain here until vote counting is done,” he said.
Ms Mainuna Candiru, another youth in the area who witnessed the fracas said Kato is a not a voter in the area and wondered what he had gone to do in that area.
“We don’t want anyone here. They are coming to steal our votes and putting ballot papers they have already ticked. We have chased him and we shall chase others who come here with such intentions.”
Our repeated calls to Kato for a comment yielded no fruits as he neither answered nor called back. Police at the scene also refused to comment on the incident.
Heavy deployment
Arua town has seen heavy deployment of both police and army, patrolling all the corners of the town. The army have unleashed the newly manufactured Nyoka vehicles to help in the patrols. The vehicles fitted with automatic guns have been strolling leisurely, with the fingers of the gun operators on triggers, ready to shoot.
At least 12 candidates are vying for Arua municipality seat after it fell vacant in June when then representative Ibrahim Abiriga was assassinated.
