Adjumani West by-election: NRM EC starts updating voters' register
According to the NRM leadership, the exercise is intended to ensure that the party register accurately reflects eligible party members who will participate in the election to select the party’s flagbearer for the Adjumani West parliamentary by-election.
Sadara Giidi, the NRM Electoral Commission head of the update team in the Adjumani West by-election. (Photo by Doreen Tasia)
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The National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission has started updating and cleaning the voters’ register as the party prepares for the forthcoming Adjumani West Constituency by-election.
The exercise, which began on August 31, will culminate in the NRM party primaries scheduled for September 3.
According to the NRM leadership, the exercise is intended to ensure that the party register accurately reflects eligible party members who will participate in the election to select the party’s flagbearer for the Adjumani West parliamentary by-election.
Sadara Giidi, the NRM Electoral Commission head of the update team in the Adjumani West by-election, maintained that the exercise is part of the party's preparations to ensure orderly primaries, assuring that the process shall be transparent.
The NRM party aspirants are Ben Anyama, Nixon Owole, James Pilli Leku, Justine Mawadri, Richard Obuni Madrara, Daniel Izale, and Kassim Ali, one of the sons of the late General.
During a meeting with the NRM Electoral Commission members at the office of the Adjumani Resident District Commissioner on Monday (August 31), Mawadri expressed fear that the exercise would not be transparent. She said there were rumours of non-residents and non-party members being registered as voters.
"There are a lot of rumours and speculations going on about the exercise. There is talk that some people are collecting identity cards to be added to the voters' register. There shouldn't be registration of new members," Mawadri said.
Ali, another aspirant, warned that if the issue is not handled properly, it could escalate into violence. "What we are focusing on is peace and protection of the people."
The concerns come against the background of disputes that have accompanied previous NRM primaries in Adjumani and other parts of the country, where some aspirants have raised allegations of voter manipulation and other electoral irregularities.
However, the NRM Electoral Commission head of the update team in Adjumani West (Giidi) pledged a transparent exercise.
"Today is our first day of displaying voters' registers at the villages, and the update exercise is entirely at village level at all the polling stations in the 99 villages in Adjumani West. For the avoidance of doubt, I want to clear the air that we have never been here for the exercise as alleged in the petition submitted by the candidates. It is mandated by the constitution that the exercise is held, and it shall be transparent," he said.
The Adjumani deputy resident district Commissioner, Emmanuel Okware, reaffirmed their commitment to promoting peace and security during the electoral period.
"Our priority is to ensure that there is security and peace in the district throughout this period. Any activities that contradict that objective are a threat to us," Okware noted.
The national Electoral Commission set September 17 as the date for the Adjumani West by-election.