By Henry Mukasa, John Ssemakula and Cyprian Musoke

DPs’ Betty Nambooze won the Mukono North by-election yesterday after beating NRM’s Peter Bakaluba Mukasa by 1,840 votes. Nambooze garnered 16,142 votes, while Bakaluba won 14,302. Bakaluba cried foul but the Electoral Commission said the poll was free and fair.

Nambooze won in the town council and in Goma sub-county, while Bakaluba had a field-day in the rural sub-counties of Nama and Kyampisi.

However, tension built up just before the final results were announced. There is also a dispute over results from Kalagala polling station in Kyampisi, where Bakaluba received 500 votes against Nambooze’s 50.

In Kyampisi, Bakaluba won with 3,174 while Nambooze got 2,527 votes. Results from Nama at Walusubi church polling station were cancelled over an irregularity.

Returning officer Francis Nkurunziza said the declaration form had only the results of two candidates Jjiingo and Nambooze. “Since we are not allowed to recount, the only option was to cancel the results,” Nkurunziza stated.

The election was a two-man race between the two arch-rivals with other candidates getting no votes at some of polling stations. In the 2006 elections, Bakaluba won with 22,680 votes, while Nambooze came second with 22,232 votes. Nambooze challenged the results in court, citing malpractice. She also accused Bakaluba of election offences. She won the case, which led to the by-election.

Earlier in the day, voters trickled in at various polling stations. Security was tight. Bakaluba Mukasa, wearing a black suit and his priestly dog-collar, cast his vote at Bajjo B polling station in Goma at 10:07am. He sounded confident of victory. “We are heading for a landslide,” he stated flashing a thumb-up victory sign for NRM.

Nambooze, dressed in a brown long dress, was driven to vote by her husband, Henry Bakireke. After casting her vote at Ssekiboobo Primary School in Ggulu ward at 10:30am, Nambooze said she hoped the Electoral Commission would not deny the residents their choice of MP. “We will win this election,” she stated.

Other candidates in the race were Pastor Matthew Talemwa, Charles Jjingo, John Ssebunnya, Zimula Mukwanya and Zirimala Kiggundu, all independents. EC chairman Badru Kiggundu and commissioners Tom Buruku and Thomas Sisye Kiryapawo supervised the voting process.

At several polling stations voters complained about missing names on the register, delay of the delivery of election materials and the presence of people claiming to be election officials. A voter at Seeta COU polling station, who found that someone had already voted in his name, was cleared to vote by commissioner Joseph Biribonwa to cool tempers.

“Some people are bad-hearted that’s why they have voted in the names of others. If caught, they should be arrested,” he directed. Commenting on the overall exercise, Kiggundu said the turn-up was lower than expected. About 73,663 voters are registered in Mukono North. “The election was peaceful; I am contented,” he remarked.

President Yoweri Museveni directed the heavy deployment of Police ahead of the elections. Kiggundu said yesterday the commission had asked for the security. “Security was important considering the threats during the campaigns,” he stated. Earlier, Nambooze and Bakaluba camps traded accusations of vote-rigging, harassment of supporters and infringement by security agencies and government operatives.

Nambooze accused the NRM camp of orchestrating the arrest of her campaign chairman, Joseph Wamala, and DP officials from Zebra Guest House. She said the arrest of DP vice-chairperson for western region, Imam Muhwezi Mukumbi, and councillor Maxentia Nakanjakko was intended to scuttle her camp’s election monitoring plans.

The deputy Police spokesperson, Henry Kalulu, said the officials were arrested and cautioned. Nambooze said they had assembled motorcycles to escort election officials delivering materials at 3:00am, to the 149 polling stations.

“Of course, they have spies in my camp and knew about our plan. The intention of these arrests was to disorganise us and throw us into panic,” Nambooze said. “But we quickly regrouped.” Nambooze said her agents in Kikubankima and Kirangira had been arrested by Maj. Segujja. She added that an impostor had taken over a polling station in Ssonde, conducted elections and was only found out to be fake when the presiding officer arrived. “Our people arrested him and was handed over to Seeta Police Station,” she said.

On his part, Bakaluba Mukasa said 10 people were arrested trying to vote with identity cards for Kampala Central Division. They also had appointment letters as agents of Nambooze, he said.

Deputy Police spokesperson Kalulu said two people, Isma Kawere of Kiwanga and David Munale, were arrested over election related cases. Munale, a resident of William Street in Kampala, was arrested at Kigombya polling station for allegedly having multiple voters’ cards.

Kalulu said Munale is a registered voter of Nakasero IV parish in Kampala Central. However, Kawere and Munale told journalists at Mukono Police Station that they were framed. Residents expressed mixed feelings about the polls.

Jackson Ochieng of Kigunga said he was happy the voting was peaceful. Ivan Kibirango of Seeta said the tight security ensured no rigging. Janita Nalutaaya of Seeta, however, commented: “My name was missing on the register. I am sad I have not voted.”