Chaos in Naguru NRM primaries as losing camp refuses to be counted

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | There was chaos in Naguru remand home 2 polling station in the LCV woman councilor NRM primaries after the losing camp refused to be counted.

Although the election for other positions was held peacefully at the polling station located in Nakawa division on Friday, chaos ensued when it came to the election of the woman councillor LCV as voters accused each other of being non-residents while others asked the electoral commission to strictly stick to the register.

The contest was between Peace Bireije and Zurah Achaye.

During the counting of the votes, Bireije’s side which was still in the lead developed cold feet when Achaye’s side took the lead ending up causing chaos.

The returning officer Martha Hadija counted 78 votes for Bireije successfully but when it came to counting supporters of Achaye who had already registered 73 votes with several people still in the line, voters on the side of Bireije protested the process saying many of their voters were not counted and that Achaye’s people were not residents of the area.

This led to chaos in the area that lasted for about an hour with anti-riot police intervening to quell the chaos while the rival sides insulted each other.

After discussions with agents of the two candidates including the police and the returning officer, they agreed to vote again. However, the exercise was further unsuccessful as Bireije’s voters refused to line up and be counted.

Hadija said that the President had allowed all NRM members to vote whether or not their names are in the party register.

Although at first Achaye’s people were hesitant to queue, they quickly mobilized and garnered 102 votes while Bireije’s side refused to line up and garnered no vote instead of the 78 they had got earlier.

Mariam Otim Namujji an agent of Bireije said that they did not agree to vote because they were being cheated. She says that the elections should be repeated.

Other voters demanded that they should use the register while some proposed that the NRM leadership in the area should identify non-residents and remove them from the line.

Majid Ame, the secretary for the environment in the village says that one side only feared to lose the elections and decided to disorganize it.

Haddija said that together with the police they tried to convince Bireije’s supporters to line up but they resisted.

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