Ayivu division NRM flag-bearer bitter with party officials

ELECTION WATCH|POLITICS |NRM

ARUA - The NRM flag-bearer for Ayivu division in Arua city, Malon Avutia, has lashed out at the party officials, for what he called failing to manage the party's primary elections.

He alleged that voter bribery, vote rigging had characterised this year's party primaries.

On Monday, city divisions and municipalities went to the polls to elect their National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag-bearers for the positions of mayor and councillor.

Avutia won with 46,960 votes, beating three other contenders. Ham Ezama Muzamil beat two others for Arua central division.

"In every NRM primary election, you find the party officials serving in the party focussing more on money, forgetting that it will bring disunity within the party," he said.

Avutia alleged that there were also certain incidents where the Police took sides, yet they are supposed to be neutral.

Avutia said he was disappointed in the way NRM handled the Division mayoral elections.

"Results arrived early at the tally centre yet all my agents were chased away from the 42 villages of Ayivuni ward and the presiding officers did not give the declaration forms," he said. Avutia accused the commission of refusing to listen to people's complaints. However, the NRM registrar for Arua, Hamza Ali Atibo, said they listen to complaints, but that complaints cannot stop them from declaring the results.

NRM co-ordinator for West Nile Joel Obonyo asked the aggrieved candidates to petition the party, so that justice is served.

"We may not know what happens in every polling station, but when a petition is heard, evidence is adduced and the right candidate carries the day," he said.