NRM EC assures fair and transparent primaries in Ssembabule

SSEMBABULE - The electoral commission of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has assured voters in Ssembabule District, a known election hotspot, that there will be no room for election rigging in the upcoming party primaries scheduled for July 17.

Ambassador James Kinobe, the NRM regional electoral commissioner, said one of the key measures introduced to combat rigging is the use of serialised Declaration of Results (DR) forms bearing regional area codes.

“We shall easily trace anyone who dares to use photocopies of the serialised DR forms. Misuse of these forms will not be possible, since they will bear district-specific regional codes,” Kinobe explained.

In response to voters' concerns, Kinobe advised candidates’ authorised polling agents to record results announced at polling centres using mobile phones as evidence.

“The two authorised polling agents with appointment letters should ensure they record the announced results at village polling centres as backup evidence, in case anyone tampers with DR forms,” he added.

He warned candidates to remain vigilant against registrars who add suspicious names to voter registers.

“Agents should scrutinise the registers and report any strange names read out at polling stations,” Kinobe said, adding that registrars found manipulating voter registers would be penalised.

“We shall provide ample time to hear and address petitions against such election irregularities. The culprits will be dealt with,” he said.

Kinobe also noted that challenges related to ballot stuffing had been mitigated by adopting the physical lining-up method, where voters queue behind their preferred candidates or their agents.

Katirima, a local resident and aspirant for the district NRM chairperson’s seat following the retirement of Sam Kutesa, welcomed the use of serialised DR forms to prevent their misuse from outside districts. (Credit: Dismus Buregyeya)

One of the Mawogola West parliamentary candidates, Wilberforce Begumisa, said he had already petitioned the NRM Party EC and security officials regarding biased registrars.

“We are trying to prevent a situation where our voters find themselves disenfranchised. We have issues with some of the registrars, but our petitions have been ignored,” he said.

Begumisa further claimed that earlier complaints had been raised against the office of the Ssembabule Resident District Commissioner (RDC).

“The RDC’s office acts like agents of some candidates, especially Minister Hanifa Kawoya. We have evidence. We are concerned they may not remain neutral on security matters during the elections,” he said.

Begumisa is contesting against health state minister Hanifa Kawoya and Uthman Kateregga in what is seen as a heated race in Mawogola West.

Meanwhile, the incumbent MP for Lwemiyaga County, Theodore Ssekikubo, is facing off against Rtd Gen. Emmanuel Rwashande, former works state minister Joy Kabatsi, and businessman Edmond Bwire in another fiercely contested race.

Katirima, a local resident and aspirant for the district NRM chairperson’s seat following the retirement of Sam Kutesa, welcomed the use of serialised DR forms to prevent their misuse from outside districts. He also called for close monitoring by joint security agencies, given Ssembabule’s volatile election environment.

Jonathan Akandwanaho, a councillor from Lwebitakuli, urged for increased deployment of army personnel in Mawogola West to support the police. “The army currently deployed in Lwemiyaga should extend to Mawogola West. We badly need them to contain electoral insecurity,” he said.

However, some boda boda riders and residents from Lwebitakuli expressed opposition to the army's presence, arguing it would cause more tension.

“We do not want to see a repeat of the election violence that happened in Lwemiyaga. Army deployment will bring problems; we can manage our challenges without them,” said Robert Musoke.

Last week, Inspector General of Police Abbas Byakagaba warned security personnel against taking sides during the NRM primaries. “We shall take disciplinary action against any compromised police officers. Report the culprits, and we shall deal with them,” he said.

He added that the police will be equipped with 45 motorcycles for quick response in Ssembabule and will work alongside the army and other agencies to prevent election-related offences.

Michael Nuwagaba, vice chairperson of the Patriotic League of Uganda (PLU), urged the Lwemiyaga electorate to report unfamiliar individuals in their communities.

“Report to security agencies any strangers driving through Lwemiyaga. We shall not tolerate electoral criminality. We need peaceful, free, and fair elections to protect voters’ rights,” said Nuwagaba, who is also President Museveni’s brother and heads the campaign team for Gen. Rwashande, who is seeking to end Ssekikubo’s 25-year tenure.

Ssekikubo has called for the withdrawal of UPDF soldiers from Lwemiyaga, particularly after one of his supporters, 25-year-old Fred Ssembusi, was shot dead by the army during a scuffle.

UPDF spokesperson Maj. Gen. Felix Kulayigye cautioned residents against attempting to disarm soldiers.

“Never get tempted to disarm a soldier. It's very dangerous for civilians. Ssekikubo is responsible for the death of the young man,” he said.

However, fellow parliamentary aspirants from Lwemiyaga—Kabatsi and Bwire—also criticised the UPDF deployment, siding with Ssekikubo and describing the military presence as unnecessary and intimidating.