Voting at four polling stations in the Oyam North parliamentary byelection was suspended on Thursday over allegations of electoral malpractices and irregularities.

The Electoral Commission said it would dispatch fresh voting materials to the affected polling stations, which are all in Otwal sub-county, for voters there to cast their ballot.

Richard Onoba, the Oyam district returning officer, told New Vision that voting was suspended at Wang Lobo P.7 polling station, Bar Omele polling station, Acokara P.7 polling station and Piyic polling station.

He said the voting process would be conducted afresh there and that they are investigating claims of intrusion at the polling stations.

Meanwhile, counteraccusations between officials from rival camps emerged.

Jimmy Akena, the opposition UPC party president, had a verbal clash with NRM's electoral chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi at Wang Lobo P.7 polling station.

The duo were restrained by security teams after going at each other for about 20 minutes.

Akena claimed that unknown gunmen interfered with the exercise, intimidated voters and confiscated mobile phones of polling agents.

Dr. Tanga Odoi urged the Electoral Commission to nullify the votes cast at the time of the clash and conduct fresh polls.

It was not immediately clear when the fresh exercise would get underway at the affected polling stations.

Meanwhile, Aleptong district chairperson Kennedy Odongo, who was monitoring the byelection, said that Police arrested three men in army uniform for allegedly interfering with voting at Bar Omele polling station.

He said the three were driven to a safe custody by the Police who responded to the scene.

Jimmy Patrick Okema, the North Kyoga Region Police spokesperson, told New Vision that Police were on a high alert to keep disruptive incidents at bay.

Who will take the day?

The voters of Oyam North in the northern district of Oyam voted for their new representative in Parliament, doing so at the 167 polling stations in the constituency, save for the affected four where voting was disrupted.

Whoever will emerge winner in Thursday's byelection will replace the late Charles Okello Engola, who died two months ago.

Engola, who was also the labour state minister, was shot dead by his bodyguard at his residence in Kyanja, Kampala on May 2.

His son, Samuel Engola Junior, is one of the four people in the race to succeed him in Parliament.

Engola Junior is vying for the seat on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) ticket.

His challengers are Dr Eunice Apio Otuko of the Uganda People's Congress (UPC), Freddy Newton Okello of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) and Daniel Okello of the National Unity Platform (NUP).