Sironko, Uganda: The State Minister for Karamoja Affairs, who also doubles as Sironko District Woman MP, Hon. Florence Nambozo Wamala, has disowned the outcome of the recently concluded NRM district elections, describing the process as “a sham” riddled with irregularities and bias.
Hon. Nambozo, who lost to longtime district NRM chairperson Suleiman Mafabi Lumolo, said the whole process was flawed from the outset, with her campaign’s demands for fairness ignored by election officials.
“The process was a win for my team, but the outcome was expected. We had raised several red flags,” Nambozo told journalists on Wednesday afternoon. “As a candidate, I requested a copy of the voters’ register, but it was denied.”
“I also demanded a neutral team to oversee the elections, but this was ignored. We had no confidence in the team that conducted the election.”
The Minister alleges that the voters’ register was tampered with, allowing ineligible participants to vote while sidelining legitimate delegates. “Many people who were not supposed to vote were given tags, and yet genuine voters were excluded. Several petitions were submitted about these anomalies,” she added.
Nambozo also accused the incumbent, Lumolo, of distributing money during the campaign to influence the vote. “This time, people didn’t vote for a portrait; they were under pressure,” she said.
Despite what she called a “selection, not an election,” the minister urged her supporters to stay calm and peaceful. “Many came to insult and accuse me falsely, but that was expected. There are lessons to learn. People now know who their leaders really are.”
Her campaign has since submitted a formal petition to the NRM Secretariat, calling for a fresh election under an independent supervisory team. “We have strong grounds for demanding the intervention of the NRM Secretariat,” Nambozo said.
The Minister’s chief mobilizer, Gamwanga Rogets, accused the electoral team of ferrying non-residents from neighboring districts to vote. “Voting cards were given to sub-county chairpersons, and many rightful voters were left out,” he said.
He further warned that those who didn’t support the chairman may face political retaliation. “Now, party flags may be sold to the highest bidder,” Gamwanga alleged.
Another mobilizer, Wokongola, said election guidelines were breached when people spent the night inside the tally center. “In Sironko, some delegates slept inside the tally center before 10 AM. Nambozo’s supporters, including several LC3 chairpersons, were denied access,” he said.
Wokongola also revealed that many elected delegates were dropped from the register. “In Bumulisha, only four received voting tags. In Bumalimba, only six were allowed inside the tally center,” he stated.
“This isn’t just about Team Nambozo. It’s about the integrity of our party. Something must be done,” Wokongola concluded.
Despite her protest and claims of irregularities, Hon. Nambozo ultimately lost to Lumolo Sulaiman Mafabi.
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