Low voter turnout as Ugandans elect district leaders
Polling officials and agents wait for voters at Kasanja Polling Station in Njeru Town Council. Photo by Derick Kisa
NATIONWIDE- Unlike last week’s presidential and parliamentary seats elections, Wednesday elections to choose district leaders, a low voter turnout has been registered across the country.
Some voters, polling agents as well as candidates attribute the low turnout to the fact that unlike Thursday last week, government did not declare Wednesday a public holiday.
In Wakiso District, Mr Matia Lwanga Bwanika (National Unity Party) Mr Simon Peter Mujambula( Democratic Party), Mr Moses Muyanja (National Resistance Movement), Mr Moses Seryazi (Forum for Democratic Change) and Mr Ahmed Kaweesa (JEEMA) are competing for the top office in the district.
The district has 1,154,875 registered voters and 1,434 polling stations.
Entebbe Sub-district has 209,914 registered, according to the Electoral Commission.
However, at Katabi Gombolola, Nkumba Primary School, Abaita Kawafu, Abaita Ku Muzikiti, Kitala Primary School and Kasenyi Landing Site, in Katabi Town Council, the low voter turnout was evident.
Unlike last week’s presidential and parliamentary polls, few security operatives are patrolling the area.
In Ndeeba Parish, Lubaga Division, Kampala District, voting has been briefly suspended after polling officials and agents of various candidates found out that the ballot papers that were brought to the area, were meant for voters in Mutundwe Parish, Lubaga Division.
Ms Evelyn Nakiryowa, one of the supervisors, said that the discrepancy affected candidates who are vying to represent the area as Kampala City Council Authority Women councillors.
The same problem was registered a Kisenyi O-Z polling Station in Northern Division, Mbale City, which delayed polling.
Low voter turnout has been registered in Buikwe, Arua, Mbale, Kabarole, Tororo among other districts.
Reported by Paul Adude, Damali Mukhaye, Rachel Mabala, Stephen Otage, Juliet Kigongo, Betty Ndagire, Shabibah Nakirigya, Joseph Omollo, Michael Waniala, Ruth Anderah, Juliet Nalwoga, Derick Kisa & Franklin Draku
