Low voter turn-up mars byelections in Budiope
Jan 25, 2010
THE Budiope by-election was yesterday marred by low voter turn-up. As the voting went on, the Police patrolled the area to ensure there was no violence. At least four Police Patrol vehicles were spotted in the area.
By George Bita
THE Budiope by-election was yesterday marred by low voter turn-up. As the voting went on, the Police patrolled the area to ensure there was no violence. At least four Police Patrol vehicles were spotted in the area.
Voting stations opened as early as 7:30am but by midday, barely one-third of the registered voters had turned up to vote at the 141 polling centres.
Some of the people interviewed said banning candidates from transporting voters could have led to the low turn-up.
Fred Tamugaire observed that in the previous elections, the candidates transported the voters to the polling stations.
However, the Electoral Commission vice-chairperson, Joseph Biribonwa, who was in the area to oversee the election, described the exercise as smooth.
“We started so early in the morning, but the voters are trickling in slowly. Hopefully, by afternoon the numbers will increase,†Biribonwa commented.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Dr. Dominic Wakabi, cast his vote at Iringa trading centre in Nkondo sub-county.
Wakabi told The New Vision that he was concerned about the new voters register which had been updated two days to polling day.
He said about 3,000 names of FDC supporters did not appear in the new register, adding that this was tantamount to rigging.
Wakabi said there had also been reports of electoral malpractice in Bugaya and Kagulu sub-counties where FDC agents were allegedly offered cash by his rivals.
Candidates in the race included NRM’s Sulaiman Balyejjusa who voted in Kagulu, DP’s Moses Bigirwa who cast his vote from Budoola in Bugaya and Ahmed Mugweri, an independent candidate, who voted from Ndulya in Buyende.
Tororo deputy resident district commissioner Richard Gulume, who was in Budiope to campaign for the NRM candidate, argued that the Government had granted the Badiope a district, saying it was time for them to show their appreciation.
Biribonwa downplayed FDC claims that their supporters had been deleted from the register, arguing that the clean-up exercise had been neutral.
“The deleted names were pinned up at the respective parishes for over five days so that voters could have a chance to note those that were erroneously removed. No complaint came up and the commission went ahead to uphold the new register,†Biribonwa explained.
The tallying centre was set up at Buyende district headquarters.
Biribonwa defended the presence of security personnel as a routine measure provided for in the electoral laws.
The byelection followed the death of the former area MP, Henry Balikoowa, in a car accident last November.
THE Budiope by-election was yesterday marred by low voter turn-up. As the voting went on, the Police patrolled the area to ensure there was no violence. At least four Police Patrol vehicles were spotted in the area.
Voting stations opened as early as 7:30am but by midday, barely one-third of the registered voters had turned up to vote at the 141 polling centres.
Some of the people interviewed said banning candidates from transporting voters could have led to the low turn-up.
Fred Tamugaire observed that in the previous elections, the candidates transported the voters to the polling stations.
However, the Electoral Commission vice-chairperson, Joseph Biribonwa, who was in the area to oversee the election, described the exercise as smooth.
“We started so early in the morning, but the voters are trickling in slowly. Hopefully, by afternoon the numbers will increase,†Biribonwa commented.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) candidate, Dr. Dominic Wakabi, cast his vote at Iringa trading centre in Nkondo sub-county.
Wakabi told The New Vision that he was concerned about the new voters register which had been updated two days to polling day.
He said about 3,000 names of FDC supporters did not appear in the new register, adding that this was tantamount to rigging.
Wakabi said there had also been reports of electoral malpractice in Bugaya and Kagulu sub-counties where FDC agents were allegedly offered cash by his rivals.
Candidates in the race included NRM’s Sulaiman Balyejjusa who voted in Kagulu, DP’s Moses Bigirwa who cast his vote from Budoola in Bugaya and Ahmed Mugweri, an independent candidate, who voted from Ndulya in Buyende.
Tororo deputy resident district commissioner Richard Gulume, who was in Budiope to campaign for the NRM candidate, argued that the Government had granted the Badiope a district, saying it was time for them to show their appreciation.
Biribonwa downplayed FDC claims that their supporters had been deleted from the register, arguing that the clean-up exercise had been neutral.
“The deleted names were pinned up at the respective parishes for over five days so that voters could have a chance to note those that were erroneously removed. No complaint came up and the commission went ahead to uphold the new register,†Biribonwa explained.
The tallying centre was set up at Buyende district headquarters.
Biribonwa defended the presence of security personnel as a routine measure provided for in the electoral laws.
The byelection followed the death of the former area MP, Henry Balikoowa, in a car accident last November.