Poll Monitors See Election Improvement

Feb 18, 2002

THE LC5 polls were free, transparent and properly organised, except at Mbuya Barracks in Kampala and in Kabale where there was “visible rigging,” NEMGROUP, a consortium of local election monitoring groups, has said, reports John Kakande.

THE LC5 polls were free, transparent and properly organised, except at Mbuya Barracks in Kampala and in Kabale where there was “visible rigging,” NEMGROUP, a consortium of local election monitoring groups, has said, reports John Kakande.In its preliminary report issued yesterday, NEMGROUP said its monitors “observed open rigging” in Kabale and that in Kampala, there was poll rigging at Mbuya Barracks.“NEMGROUP notes the improvement by the Electoral Commission in the administration of the elections as compared to the LC III elections,” the report said.The group noted that photographic registers used in Kampala minimised potential for multiple voting, impersonation and mistrust. It added that the voters register, which was used in other parts of the country, was “a vast improvement” compared to the one used in LC3 polls. It said that materials were delivered on time although there was delay in distribution of the materials within districts.“The army especially needs to continue improving on its image and profile during the elections by allowing the will of the people to take precedence,” the group said. But the group commended the Police saying “reports from most parts of the country indicate that there was increased vigilance by the Police in preventing election malpractices and controlling rowdy situations.” It said Police should act more decisively on electoral malpractice and promptly investigate election-related cases.NEMGROUP said Kabale RDC Lt. James Mwesigye and his assistant, Dan Kaguta, masterminded the rigging in the district. “The rigging was characterised by pre-ticking of ballot papers as well as taking over the tallying of the results from the District Registrar,” they said.Ends

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