The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | An NRM village chairperson who was relieved of a yellow bicycle for allegedly supporting opposition candidates in Kitgum district has found new wheels thanks to Okin P.P Ojara, the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC candidate in Chua West constituency.
Yusuf Onyee, the NRM chairperson for Obem North village in Labongo Layamo sub county says the bicycle which had been given to him by the NRM secretariat was withdrawn by the sub county NRM chairperson Franco Otii on allegations that he was supporting an FDC candidate against one from his own party.
Ojara, the FDC candidate is contesting against musician Bosmic Otim, a member of the ruling National Resistance Movement-NRM party for the parliamentary seat. Onyee says his repeated efforts to seek the intervention of the NRM district party officials over the matter were unsuccessful until FDC came to his rescue and compensated him with another bicycle.
But the NRM party chairperson Jimmy George Ayella said he never knew about the reported withdrawal of the bicycle but also condemned the act saying there are disciplinary procedures that need to be followed under the circumstances.
Ayella however says that the yellow bicycles were distributed to the beneficiary village and parish party chairpersons to mobilize support for NRM candidates in their respective villages and not the contrary.
According to Ayella, it’s against the NRM party constitution to rally support for a candidate sponsored by another political organization and anyone found in breach of this code and provision ceases to be a member of the NRM party.
Although the use of money in elections has become a culture and voters have become accustomed to receiving bribes for their votes, the Presidential Elections Act and the Parliamentary Elections Act prohibit a candidate from giving or providing any money, gift or any other consideration to a voter.
Violation constitutes the offence of bribery and the accused on conviction is liable to a fine not exceeding 72 currency points (1,440,000 Uganda Shillings) or imprisonment not exceeding three years or both.
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