Late arrival of election officers, low turn-up mar NRM primaries in Luweero

Luweero, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The late arrival of election officers and low turn up of voters have marred National Resistance Movement (NRM) Primaries in Luweero town .

The National Resistance Movement (NRM) is today electing party flag bearers for the position of LC5 Chairperson, District Councillors and City Mayors among others.

The elections were expected to begin at 10:00am across the polling stations located at each village.

However, when Uganda Radio Network – URN reporter in Luweero town visited some of the areas none of the polling stations had started conducting the elections by 11am over absence of voters, agents and party election officers.

At the time we visited Luweero Central, South East and Lumu polling stations at 10am, there was no single voter or election officer.

At Kavule zone polling station, the election officer, policemen and some selected agents for aspirants had arrived but no voter was available.

James Wanda, an election officer at Kasana Quality Polling station said that he arrived early at the polling station to start verification of each voter before he conducts election at 10:00am, but there was no voter.

Rehema Nansamba, an election officer at New Africa Polling Station said she has over 1000 voters in the register but none had arrived to participate in the elections.

Shamidat Namulema was the only agent for Kamoga Uthman Jjuko who had arrived and said she expected voters to come late for the elections.

Vincent Lubulwa, the Election Observer With New You Group said that the awareness campaigns conducted o the elections were not extensive enough as voters were attaching little importance to the Local Government seats compared to Member of Parliament primaries. Lubulwa added that many voters opted to stay at their places of work rather than participating in the primaries.

Samuel Musoke, a resident in Luweero town said the past primaries disappointed them over alleged vote rigging, bribery and other malpractices. He says that he opted not to participate because it was a waste of time.

David Kamugisha, the Luweero NRM District Registrar said that the election officers were supposed to arrive at the polling stations on time since the registers and other materials were delivered yesterday.

On the low turn up, Kamugisha said it was expected since some positions are unopposed and other voters pay little attention to Local Council primaries.

Unlike before NRM has deployed one election officer per polling station and it is not clear whether its linked to expected low turn up.

In Luweero the race for LC 5 Chairperson flag bearer have attracted four aspirants that include; Dithan Kikabi, Uthman Kamoga Jjuko, Rashidah Birungi and Abbey Ssozi Bakisuula .

In Nakaseke the race is between incumbent Chairman Ignatius Koomu and Wasswa Tadeo whereas in Nakasongola the supporters are expected to chose between incumbent Chairperson Sam Kigula and the former James Wandira. 

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URN