Partial results for NRM primaries released amid protests

By Umaru Kashaka 

THE chairman of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) Electoral Commission (EC), Dr Tanga Odoi, on Wednesday announced provisional results for the recently conducted local council party primaries in Kampala Central amid protests that the process had not been free and fair.

By press time, veteran politician Muhammed Kibedi Nsegumire was leading his main opponent Salim Uhuru for the position of Kampala Central division LC3 chairperson by a margin of 1023 votes.

Odoi said Kibedi polled 3,213 of the votes cast against Uhuru's 2190. Uhuru is the Kisenyi II parish councillor and NRM chairperson for Kampala Central.  Resty Ollama came third with 586 votes.

"Results are always provisional for as long as they are not 100%. I can tell you results in Kampala are about 96% and what I have announced can give you a trend that this person is likely to win overall," Odoi said amid pleas by some that elections be cancelled altogether.

"With regards to Kibedi and Uhuru we have declared that there are no results for Mengo parish and Kisenyi III so all results in indicate Kibedi is leading with that margin (1023)," he said.

Odoi noted that they had had problems in Buganda particularly in the district of Ssembabule where their offices were burnt.

"In Kampala Central even when a football match is played there is always no winner. There is always a loser who will claim to be a winner. But I would like to thank Uhuru. Being chairman of NRM in the district he has so far performed so well even when he is trailing Kibedi in these elections," Odoi said.

"And I think this is what was lacking in the previous elections. Candidates must be able to judge and know that the magnitude and the journey ahead is bigger and better than fighting now," he added.

He said petitions are a constitutional requirement and whoever feels dissatisfied with the provisional results is free to petition.

"We shall get them (petitions), analyse them and see where flaws are. If there are flaws substantial enough to cancel those results we cancel that election; if there are not substantial the results stand," he stated.

He dismissed talk that he had failed the entire exercise. "I have results from Northern region and the region was quiet peaceful and if there are complaints at all there are only three in the whole region. So if that is not performing very well then I don't have another word to describe our performance," he remarked.

Kibedi, who looked impassive, called upon Uhuru to be magnanimous in defeat. "He should accept defeat and we work together because he is the district party chairman," he said.

However, Uhuru said: "The difference is not big and results for most parishes are still missing like Old Kampala and Kamwokya and I am leading in those parishes. Good enough he (Tanga) is saying the results are provisional. We are going to wait for the final tally and we shall have an answer."

Uhuru, however, said: "I am not worried at all. If I don't go through, there is no problem. Still NRM party will have won."

Earlier in the day tensions at the NRM offices on Kyadondo Road went high as Uhuru and Kibedi’s supports exchanged blows and traded insults.

Uhuru and Kibed both moved outside the office and appealed to their respective supporters to calm down and allow all councillors to get in and raise their grievances to Odoi.

However, during the meeting between Odoi and all candidates, the aspiring councillor LC5 for Kampala Central 2B Herbert Kazibwe had to be restrained by the police and his colleagues from hitting out at Odoi.

Kazibwe pulled out several ballot papers from the khaki envelope that he alleged had been ticked in favour of Kibedi and displayed them.  

"Cancel the elections because they haven't been free and fair," he implored, but his pleas fell on deaf ears.