Slow start to local gov’t council elections upcountry

Kitgum, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | There is a slow start to the local government council elections across the country.

In some polling stations visited by Uganda Radio Network reporters in different parts of the country, polling materials hadn’t yet arrived by 8 am despite the voting exercise that should have started by 7 am. There was also very low or no turn up of voters in some of the polling stations visited at the time. 

In West village polling station in Central Division in Kitgum Municipality, no material had been delivered by 7:17 am.

The presiding officer and his polling assistants were seen still organizing the polling station, setting seats, and sweeping the compound. There were also no voters and agents of any candidates.

A similar situation was also at Horizon Primary School Polling station in Central Division. Betty Aciro, the Presiding officer said that they hadn’t received any material and no voter had turned up.

In Jinja City, by 7 am the Electoral Commission hadn’t yet delivered electoral materials nor embarked on any form of polling station demarcation to indicate that there are on-going elections.

At both Main Street and Spire road primary school, the six polling stations were still closed. 

Unlike during the presidential elections when the voters were at the polling stations by 6:00 am, today, there were no voters, candidates’ agents, security and polling officials.

In Luwero, polling had not started by 7 am in most polling stations that include Kavule Giants College NAM-ND, NAJ-NAL and M-NAL, Luwero SS NE-Z and A-KY, Kasana Market A-M, O-Z and N-N and Luwero SDA NAK-Z and A-NAZ among others.

Simeo Kinene the Presiding Officer for Kavule Giants College M-NAL Polling station said that they delivered materials in time but they failed to start the exercise after registering only three out of 10 recommended voters.

Kinene adds that in last week’s elections, more than 50 people were already in the line by 7; 00 am.

Daniel Ssemuyaba an Independent candidate for LCV Councillor seat for Luwero town says that the low turn up may affect their performance in the race.

Agents argue that some voters have lost morale in today’s elections because results from last week’s presidential and parliamentary elections were not in their favour. 

In Mukono District, the polling materials were delivered by 6:00 am in most of the polling stations, but there was a low turn up of voters to witness the opening of ballot boxes.

The situation was visible in some of the polling that previously attracted a big number of voters during the presidential and parliamentary elections. The polling stations include CAO’s building, Mukono general hospital, Lebanon Church, Municipal headquarters, and St Dunstan all in Mukono Municipality.

The District Returning Officer Mark Muganzi Mayanja says they have tried delivering the voting materials on time. 

At Laroo Primary School in Gulu City East Division, there were less than 30 voters at the polling station compared to the Parliamentary and Parliamentary elections in which voters turned up in high numbers. The situation was also the same at Gulu Public Primary School polling station and Holy Rosary Primary school polling station in East Division.

Meanwhile, in Lira City, electoral commission staff were seated idle at various polling stations as they wait for voting materials and voters to arrive.

For instance, at Angwetangwet parish, in Lira City East, only two out of the five polling stations had received voting materials by 7 am. At Tedam polling station, voting materials arrived at 7:45 am but there were no voters to witness the ballot opening.

In Mbale, many polling stations by 8 am had not registered the required ten voters to witness ballot box opening. The polling stations include Nkoma High, North Road Primary School, Lion Tark, Namatala Church of Uganda, and Amber Store all in Mbale Municipality.

Ali Kakulia, a presiding officer at IUIU polling station, says they are yet to get the required ten people to allow them to open the ballot box.

In Fort Portal Tourism City and Ntoroko district, some of the polling stations URN reporters visited at 7:40 am, voting was yet to start. At the Public Library in Fort Portal, and Karugutu primary school, and Karugutu Health Center IV in Ntoroko District, there were no voters except polling officials. 

The situation isn’t any different in Entebbe municipality, Makindye-Ssabagabo municipality, Busiro South county, and Kalangala district. Polling had not started yet at 7 am due to the delayed arrival of voters, polling agents, and polling officials.

For instance, the two polling stations at Katabi town council playground in Kitubulu and Mayor’s Garden failed to open because there were less than ten voters to witnesses opening of the ballot boxes. 

In Masaka city, there was also low turn out of voters. In Bata Cell, which has three polling stations, the few people that had come to cast their votes were seen walking away after they did not find the materials at the polling stations.

Sarah Nampaggi, one of the voters says that she had no morale for voting after she found the polling officials not ready.  

At Masaka Town yard Polling station, besides the delay in delivery of materials, the polling officers had not arranged the voting area by 8:30 am. They were seen asking residents for chairs and tables to be used, but the residents were reluctant to give out their furniture. 

At Lower Bugongi ward, Northern Division, Kabale municipality, by 7:10 am,  cows were seen grazing at the polling station. At  Kakabano polling station also in the Northern Division, Kabale municipality, there were no polling officials and voters by 7:42 am.  

In Arua City out of ten polling stations that URN reporter visited by 8:00 am, voting had started at two polling stations. 

At Awindiri Primary School K-Z polling station, Diana Queen, the presiding officer said that voting materials were delivered in time and they were able to set up all the equipment early but voters were reluctant to show up. 

At Arua Golf polling station, in addition to the poor voter turn up, the Biometric Voter Machines also failed to work causing further delays.

Dodo says she fears the turn up could lower than that of the Presidential and parliamentary elections.

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