NRM, FDC committed malpractices in Kamuli by-elections

Apr 19, 2017

The report reveals a number of critical incidents on different polling stations where agents of either the NRM candidate, Hajjati Rehema Watongola and those of the FDC flag bearer Salaam Musumba orchestrated the election malpractices.

A final report by the Citizens' Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) on the recent Parliamentary by-elections in Kamuli Municipality has revealed that supporters of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) and Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) committed election malpractices. 
 
The report reveals a number of critical incidents on different polling stations where agents of either the NRM candidate, Hajjati Rehema Watongola and those of the FDC flag bearer Salaam Musumba orchestrated the election malpractices.  
 
Polling stations that registered critical incidents according to the CCEDU's report included St. Mark Primary School, Nanyonga, Bulongo, Madaras and Kyabazinga.
 
The by-elections which were conducted last week saw NRM's Watongola defeat Musumba with 8,726 votes against 5,778 votes. 
 
After the 2016 Parliamentary elections, Musumba dragged Watongola to court challenging her academic qualifications and she was ejected from the house. 
 
According to the report, the most common malpractices that were registered by CCEDU at various Polling Stations included voter intimidation, bribery and under aged voters turning up to vote.  
 
The allegation at St Mark Primary School Polling Station was that at 12:00pm, there was voter bribery orchestrated by an agent of Hajati Rehema Wetongola.
 
"At Madaras Polling Station, when FDC supervisors wanted to take photos and polling agents refused, they caused chaos by chasing away voters. The Polling agents felt so intimidated until when Police intervened and took them away," the report said. 
 
The report said FDC supervisors who caused chaos at Madaras were five including four men and one woman traveling in an Audi car registration number UAQ 870G.
 
In the report, CCEDU recommended that EC should establish a dispute resolution desk that should be designed, formed and empowered to resolve disputes. Efforts to speak to the EC spokesperson, Jotham Taremwa were futile. 
 

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