NRM primaries: Voter turnout low

Voter turnout for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) nationwide primaries for the 2021 flag-bearers in the elections for district chairpersons (LC5), city mayors and Kampala Lord Mayor in some parts of the country has been low while in others, it steadily improved.

By 11 am, at Rubaga division, there were only security personnel and presiding officers with no single voter.

Jalidah Nanyonga, the presiding officer at Kigwanya polling station where Ssebaana Kizito, contesting for Lord Mayor is expected to vote, said they were getting impatient and that if the situation had persisted, they would report back to their bosses.

In the race for Lord Mayor for Kampala city is musician Daniel Kazibwe aka Ragga Dee and Ssebaana Kizito, nephew of former Kampala Mayor and Democratic Party (DP) president, the late John Ssebaana Kizito.

At 11:45 am, voting at Kigwanya polling stations started after the handful of voters threatened to boycott the elections due to rain that was threatening.

Nanyonga ordered people to line up behind their candidate or agent. At the end of counting at this station, Ragga Dee got three votes while Ssebaana got 36.

Voting delayed in Kaberamaido

Due to the low turnout of voters in some villages in Kaberamaido district, voting was delayed. By noon, voting had not started in most villages according to our correspondent.

A presiding officer at one of the polling stations, George Eyolu conducted the primaries with a hand full of voters saying he wasn't waiting longer for the number of voters to increase.

In Kasese district, according to our correspondent, voting started in a low gear with only candidates' agents and election officers at the polling stations.

In Arua district, it was the same observation by our reporter. Voter turnout was equally low at most polling stations in Arua city.

In Alivu cell polling station out of 416 registered voters, only 98 voters showed up. At Oluodri polling centre, voters defied the guidelines of lining up but they decided to come one after another as the registrar kept on tallying.

Besides the voting,k voters and officials did not observe the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) at most polling stations. 

The voting at several polling stations started at 11 am and ended at noon peaceful without violence.

Security operatives from the army and police have been and are still at a lockout for any cases of violence. The elections in Arua city have generally been calm.

In Katakwi district, there was a low voter turnout. Voting that was expected to start at 11 am started almost an hour later as NRM officials impatiently waited for voters to come.

David Ken Ongede, an LC 1 OF Abelebuku village said most people had delayed in their gardens while others didn't bother about the elections.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for COVID19 were not followed at most polling stations. Most voters didn't put on masks and social distancing was not maintained at all times.

Compiled by Lawrence Mulondo, Michael Onyinge, Robert Ariaka and Emmanuel Alomu