Lamwo RDC under investigation over alleged electoral offences

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Police have opened an investigation against the Lamwo Resident District Commissioner James Nabinson Kidega over alleged electoral offences.

The investigation is being headed by the Commissioner of Police, Francis Olugu who is overseeing electoral offences in Acholi sub-region.

It stems from a complaint raised by the incumbent Lamwo district Woman MP, Molly Lanyero who lost to an independent candidate Nancy Acora.

Acora polled 16,990 votes beating Lanyero who got 12,846 votes on National Resistance Movement party ticket.

Lanyero however rejected the results alleging that the elections were marred with violence, intimidation and were rigged in favour of her rival with the backing of security personnel led by Kidega.

Ezekiel Emitu, the Aswa River Region Police Commander said that Kidega is being investigated over alleged electoral offences.

He says Lanyero raised complaints to the police in Lamwo district alleging that her agents were intimidated while some were kidnapped on orders of the RDC.

Emitu says the police on orders of Olugu arrested the RDC over the weekend and briefly detained him along with his escorts. Also arrested over the allegations was Acora.

Emitu however says the suspects were all released on police bond after brief detention adding that the matter is being fully investigated.

“The CID team effected some arrests but the suspects were released on police bond. You are aware investigations take some time, the inquiry has just commenced and it’s still premature to give out all the details,” Emitu said.

Lanyero says that intimidation against her and the campaign team started during the campaigns but intensified on election eve and the night when elections were conducted.

She alleges her appointment letters for the agents were confiscated by Kidega leaving them unable to secure her votes since they weren’t allowed to access the polling stations and tallying centers early.

Efforts to get comments from Kidega were futile by press time as his known phone number wasn’t available while Acora didn’t respond to our repeated phone calls.

*****

URN