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BUKEDEA - The head of the State House Anti-Corruption Unit (SHACU), Brig. Gen. Henry Isoke, has been tasked by President Yoweri Museveni to investigate alleged electoral violations in the recently concluded Bukedea LC5 by-elections. 

Museveni in a letter dated June 26, 2023, noted that whereas he was delighted by the ruling National Resistance Movement’s (NRM) win in the by-election, he was disturbed by the irregularities that marred the exercise.   

“I have got some disturbing information about the recent by-election in Bukedea for LCV chairperson where our NRM candidate won with 91 per cent and the voter turnout was 87 per cent. I was, of course, happy for my Party to perform so well," reads Museveni's letter to Isoke, in part.  

“However, I am now getting information that Government officials on the night of the nomination, invaded the house of Mr. Omagor (Stephen David), confiscated his academic papers and stole Sh.163 million from him so that he could not be nominated the following morning.  

“The EC had to extend the nomination days when he appealed. Even when he went for nomination, he was attacked at the gate of the Electoral Commission,” the President said.  

Museveni was concerned by the fact that even when voters opted to shun the election exercise on the polling day, “government officials invaded the polling stations and voted on behalf of voters.”  

He warned that such electoral violence could potentially drag the country back to the political turmoil of the past.   

“This sounds like a film. However, I want to be sure that Uganda does not go back to the crime of 1980, with Muwanga elections that forced us (NRA) to go to the bush,” he cautioned.   

It is against that background that the President who is also the national chairman of NRM, instructed Isoke to thoroughly probe the by-election and make a report as soon as possible. 

“Therefore, investigate these claims and if any criminality is committed, take action and report back. Such actions are not only electoral offences. They are also criminals. I am, therefore, directing you to handle the criminals.”   

Omagor told New Vision that he pulled out of the race to seek treatment in Nairobi, Kenya. 

Omagor’s withdrawal left NRM’s Mary Akol, Forum for Democratic Change’s Sam Odeke Oita and Tychicus Ebukalin as the only candidates left in the race. Akol won with 79,692 votes while closest challenger Ebukalin garnered 4,941 votes.  

On polling day, in a statement said it was withdrawing Oita’s candidacy, saying the by-election was yet another case of electoral fraud in Uganda. 

“The Bukedea by-election is not different from earlier ones only that the scale, in this case, is unprecedented in the history of elections in our country,” FDC president Patrick Oboi Amuriat said. 

Addressing the media Ebukalin who claimed that his home was condoned off by military operatives, said government resources were being misused to select for Bukedea a leader.   

“They supplied every polling station with pre-ticked ballot papers ranging between 400-800 votes in favour of the candidates they wanted,” Ebukalin said. 

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