Heavy rain disturbs early Bukanga voting

DEVELOPING STORY

BUKANGA, Isingiro - A heavy Tuesday morning downpour disrupted voting in the ongoing Bukanga County MP by-election in Isingiro district.

The rain, which started at about 8.30am local time, has forced presiding officials to suspend voting at some polling stations, our reporter says.

Voters and presiding officials took shelter in the neighboring houses, schools and shops as they waited to proceed with the voting.

Most of the disrupted polling stations are in Ngarama Sub-county.

But the rain did not affect delivery of voting materials and by 7.00am local time, all the materials had been delivered to the polling stations, according to Electoral Commission spokesperson Jotham Taremwa.

New Vision reporters traversing various polling stations say voters at various polling stations started to trickle in to cast their ballots.

Police deployed heavily in the area Tuesday morning to ensure that the voting process goes on smoothly.

The contest to replace fallen MP Gregory Matovu features five candidates.

They include: NRM’s Steven Kangwagye, DP’s Shafique Dembe, FDC’s Tito Turiyo, independent candidates Nathan Byanyima and Pastor Abel Tumusime .

The seat fell vacant following Matovu’s death late September this year.

Two of the initial seven hopefuls pulled out of the race a few days to voting day. The reason for the withdrawal of independents Asiimwe Jackline Matovu and Jeremiah Kamurari Birungyi remains unclear.

Fallen area MP Gregory Matovu had served in that position for three years before his death late September.

Matovu had joined Parliament in 2011. Prior to joining the House, he had worked with the ministry of education, the Presidential Commission for Teso and also as Senior Assistant Secretary Office of the President.

He had also served as a Foreign Service officer, Protocol Department from 1980 to 1987.