Iganga, Uganda: Voting in the National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries for the Kigulu South constituency flag bearer was Monday delayed after residents in Lwelera village, Nawaningi Sub County, protested the use of party registers they claim are unreliable.
The rerun, ordered in 14 villages where the previous exercise was nullified over violence and malpractice, has attracted four candidates i.e., incumbent MP Hon. Milton Muwuma, former Iganga District LCV Chairperson Mr. Patrick Kayemba, and first-time contestants Mr. Ntulume Yusuf Kyafu and Mr. Sebukaire Abdul Rahman alias Kangha.
At Lwelera polling station, voters demanded that elections be conducted openly without registers, insisting that many long-time residents were excluded from the official voter roll. “I am a resident of this area, but we have never heard about the names being read here. We do not trust the register,” said Charles Masajjage, a voter.
The locals argued that LC1 chairpersons and their committees should instead validate voters, saying they are more conversant with community members than the party-appointed registrars. They called on the NRM top leadership to urgently intervene to rectify the anomalies.
Security was tightened at the station to prevent escalation as tensions flared, with residents accusing the process of disenfranchising genuine party members.
Meanwhile, NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson Dr. Tanga Odoi camped in Iganga to directly supervise the exercise. He began the morning in Nawaningi Sub County before proceeding to Nakalama Sub County to monitor polling stations.
Dr. Odoi told DailyExpress that only voters listed in the party registers will be allowed to participate. “The NRM register is the official instrument of this election. Anyone not on the list will not vote. I warn nonvoters against causing commotion, and I assure the public that security is in place for smooth voting,” he said.
Delays were also reported in other polling stations, with much time spent reading out contested names from the registers as residents challenged their authenticity.
If you would like your article/opinion to be published on Uganda’s most authoritative news platform, send your submission on: [email protected]. You can also follow DailyExpress on WhatsApp and on Twitter (X) for realtime updates.
