NRM announces election dates for hotspot areas

Sep 22, 2020

2021 ELECTIONS |

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) has announced new dates for residual elections in areas where polls were postponed.

The NRM primaries, held on September 4, were marred with disputes over the composition of the register and vote counting in some areas. Results in some areas are yet to be declared due to disputes, while in others, the exercise was cancelled.

Dr Tanga Odoi, the NRM electoral commission chairperson, said election in Kigulu South, Iganga district, where a candidate died on the morning of the polling day, will be held on Friday.

Elections for Mawogola South and Mawogola West in Sembabule is slated for Monday next week, while October 2, has been set for polls in 26 contested villages in Bukanga County and 28 villages in Nyabushozi County.

The Mawogola North elections were suspended due to reported violence and intimidation. Some supporters sustained injuries. Battling for NRM fl ag is President Yoweri Museveni's brother Sodo Aine Kaguta against minister Sam Kutesa's daughter, Shartsi Musherure.

President's caution

In a letter to Odoi over fraud that had been discovered in the recent party primary elections, Museveni said: "I started with the four districts, because, in addition to the criminality that was in many areas, in these areas, there was an added confusion of my relatives being part of the confusion," he said.

"I never sent any of those relatives to contest in those areas or anywhere; nor did they even consult me. I even opposed Maama Janet when she went to stand in Ruhaama. It was only after becoming a fl ag-bearer, that I campaigned for her," Museveni said.

The President's statement put the record straight that he was not backing his brother against Musherure in the contest.

The President said he dispatched what he described as secret teams to investigate the alleged vote rigging in the affected districts and constituencies upon receiving complaints about vote-rigging.

Election cheats warned

Flanked by commissioners Arimpa Kigyagi and Jane Alisemera, Odoi said the commission was collecting data to be presented to the central executive committee (CEC), adding that the party will withdraw its fl ag from the culprits.

"I emphasise that we are collecting data on thuggery, which will be presented to CEC. If the cheats think it was okay, we are going to expose them. From the evidence obtained, some of them are more than idiots, they are thugs," Odoi said.

He said the commission has summoned district election registrars from districts with glaring electoral malpractices as part of confl ict resolution and an audit of how elections were conducted.

Officers under spotlight

On the spot are 17 election officers from Ibanda, Isingiro, Tororo districts, Tororo County, Mbale city, Jinja city, Gulu, Kanungu, Lira, Kyankwanzi, Namutumba, Kaliro, Buyende, Mayuge, Kakumiro, Kyenjojo, and Sembabule.

"We cannot lose our jobs because a handful of our election offi cers messed up an election. Whoever abetted this kind of forgery will be reprimanded," Odoi said.  

He cautioned NRM candidates and voters against conmen claiming that they could help them win petitions submitted to the commission for redress.

"We have a clear and watertight petition handling mechanism and, therefore, I urge all candidates to report to the commission all people purporting to help them infl uence the outcome of the petition," he said.

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