Voters 'paid' to participate in Bushenyi polls - observers

Vehicles with concealed registration number plates at Kyabugimbi Sub County near a polling station. There were allegations that its occupants were bribing voters.

Igara East by-election has been characterized by widespread incidents of ferrying voters to polling stations and assisting them to vote, a preliminary report by the election observers has indicated.

 Citizens' Coalition for Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) together with the Western Ankole Civil Society Forum (WACSOF) deployed 30 stationary observers and 6 roving observers to cover all the 83 polling stations in Igara East, Bushenyi.

Igara East has 6 sub counties including:  Kyeizooba, Bumbaire, Ibaare, Ruhumoro, Kyabugimbi town council, and Rwentuha town council.

"At Katikamwe COU Polling Station in Kyabugimbi Sub Cou
nty, Pius Murabirizi, an agent of candidate Mawanda Michael Maranga was seen ferrying people in his Toyota Premio car to polling stations," the report said.

According to CCEDU boss, Crispin Kaheru, most of the people he ferried were consequently assisted to vote at the respective polling stations although they did not fit the category (PWD, elderly) of those that are supposed to be assisted to vote.

EC Supervisor in charge of Katikamwe parish, Jane Musiime warned Murabirizi against his conduct.

Incidents and allegations of bribery were pronounced in nearly all the 6 sub counties allegedly commissioned by almost all the 6 candidates.

In Ruhumuro Sub County, Police arrested Jonan Nkamuhebwa, a local business for allegedly possessing cash and distributing it to bribe voters to vote in favour of candidate Mawanda Michael.

Upon interrogation at Police, it was discovered that allegations of bribery labelled against Nkamuhebwa were baseless.  There were several accusations and counter accusations of voter bribery by all political camps in the race, the report added.

CCEDU however, observed incidents where voters around polling stations in Kyabugimbi sub county were being given between sh1,000 and sh5,000 and asked to vote for particular candidates.

There are six candidates in the race. They include: Former area MP Michael Mawanda, Benjamin Katana, Bernard Kananura and David Armstrong all independents while Christine Bekunika (FDC) and Andrew Martial (NRM).

EC chairperson, Simon Byabakama, is leading the team manning the exercise. He appealed to voters to guard against any malpractice that can cause the repeat of the exercise.