Lord Mayor candidate Balimwezo blames govt for low voter turnout
Balimwezo, who is also the Nakawa East Member of Parliament, said the election exercise was peaceful, although there were challenges reported in a few areas.
Kampala Lord Mayor, Eng. Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga casting his vote at Elion Playground in Mutungo Zone Four, Nakawa division, Kampala district. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
_______________ Balimwezo hand in hand with his wife, Racheal, who was dressed in a red floral dress as they arrived to cast their vote. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
Clad in blue jeans and a maroon Madiba shirt, National Unity Platform flag-bearer for Kampala Lord Mayor, Eng. Ronald Balimwezo Nsubuga arrived at the polling venue at about 11:15am, hand in hand with his wife, Racheal, who was dressed in a red floral dress, to cast his vote. The couple was dropped off by a car before proceeding to the polling station.
Balimwezo voted at Elion Playground in Mutungo Zone Four, Nakawa division, Kampala district, a short distance from his home at about 11:30am. The venue, which hosts 15 polling stations, opened at about 9:00am.
His arrival drew a large crowd of youthful supporters, some of whom broke into chants, prompting the deployment of military Police to the area to prevent disruption of the voting process.
(Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
(Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
Balimwezo casting his vote at the polling station. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
After casting his ballot, Balimwezo, who is also the Nakawa East Member of Parliament, said the election exercise was peaceful, although there were challenges reported in a few areas.
Balimwezo addressing the media. (Credit: Mpalanyi Ssentongo)
Balimwezo expressed concern over the low voter turnout, blaming it on the Government’s failure to accord local government elections the importance they deserve.
He said such elections are important and such a day should have been declared a public holiday to enable more citizens to participate.
Balimwezo added that although many capable leaders were contesting, it is the vote that determines the winner, regretting that the exercise had not attracted many voters.
Other irregularities
Balimwezo also raised concerns about reported irregularities at some polling stations in Naguru, Nakawa Division, where ballot papers were allegedly mixed up.
“I really wonder how ballot papers can be mixed up. This happened in Naguru, and we have also received reports of pre-ticked ballot papers in the same area. We are still investigating the matter,” he said.
The legislator warned individuals allegedly involved in procuring or stealing electoral materials, saying such acts are punishable by law.
He stressed that Kampala residents should be allowed to freely choose their leaders without interference or vote theft, alleging that in some instances there was collusion between presiding officers, candidates and agents.
Commenting on the use of technology (biometric machines) in the electoral process, Balimwezo criticised the Government for spending billions of shillings without achieving value for money. He appealed to the Government to investigate the matter and punish those responsible.
“It is unfortunate that a lot of money has been lost in deals that have not benefited Ugandans. If we had good digital systems, perhaps we would have had a more credible election,” Balimwezo said.
Why he left legislator position
Asked why he opted to leave Parliament to contest for the Lord Mayor position, which some describe as ceremonial, Balimwezo dismissed the claim, insisting the office is substantive.
“If it were ceremonial, we would not have seen someone occupy the office for over 15 years. The Lord Mayor is responsible for developing strategies and programmes that enhance service delivery in the city,” he said.
Balimwezo added that the Lord Mayor’s role involves strategic planning and policy direction and cannot be termed ceremonial, noting that he has the competence and commitment to address Kampala’s challenges.
Balimwezo pledged to prioritise the rehabilitation of poor roads and address other pressing challenges facing the city if elected.
On concerns about transparency at the tally centre at Kololo, especially following past elections, Balimwezo said he had reported the matter to the Electoral Commission and hoped the concerns had been addressed.
The legislator said his team had deployed vigilant and competent personnel to man the tally centre to ensure accurate interpretation of results.