Tension as Hoima votes woman MP

Casting of ballots in Hoima Woman Member of Parliament by-election is underway with a high voter turn up.
In most of the polling stations visited by Daily Monitor, polling materials were delivered in the wee hours of the Thursday morning by Electoral Commission officials escorted by Police.
At Kezara polling station in Kiryatete West of Kahoora Division in Hoima Municipality, casting of ballot started at around 8.25am.
At the polling station, voters were queuing outside the gazetted polling area as they waited patiently for their names to be read in the national voters register.

The queues are mainly comprised of youths.
At Sir Tito Winyi polling station, voting materials were delivered as early as 7.30am and voting proceeded. The NRM candidate in the race, Ms Harriet Businge Mugenyi cast her ballot at this polling station at about 10am.

James Mugisa a voter at Sir Tito Winyi polling station said that he arrived as early 7am ready to cast the ballot but there was a delay of about one hour.
The Hoima District Returning Officer, Mr Douglas Mastiko told Daily Monitor that the commission has delivered the polling materials successfully.
The by-election is also being supervised by the Electoral Commission Chairman, Justice Simon Byabakama who also comes from Hoima District.

There is heavy Police and military deployment in the district as polling progresses.
Senior commissioner of Police Mr John Nuwagira, the deputy director of operations said each of the 266 polling stations has a police officer either dressed in uniform or in civilian attire to maintain law and order.
“We are here to support the election. We have been here during campaigns; we are here during the polling and after elections,” Mr Nuwagaba said.

“We shall have outer ring security to reinforce the 100 metre rule out of the polling station (where voters who have finished polling should stand). We have security at junctions and other strategic positions. We have commanders at each divisions who are at the level of district Police commander who we have brought from neighboring areas,” he said.
He said police received intelligence briefs indicating that there were boda-boda cyclists threatening voters that they will see repercussions if they do not vote wisely.

Police has broken into a shop along wright road where it was suspected that there was ongoing printing of voting materials.
“We received information that FDC people were printing voting accreditation cards there yet it is not their mandate. Such mandate is with the electoral commission,” said Mr Julius Hakiza, the Albertine regional Police spokesperson.
He said Mathew Walakira, a resident of Munyonyo, Makindye division in Wakiso District was arrested last evening allegedly for illegally printing accreditation cards.

“He tried to run and cause stampede but we contained the situation,” Mr Hakiza said.
As expected, the Hoima District Police Commander who was transferred last evening to join Environmental Police protection unit is not commanding the Police in the district.
He was replaced by Mr Martin Okoyo who has been DPC Mubende.
"This is a normal transfer. I can also be transferred anytime," Mr Hakiza said.

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