Ugandan voters have expressed dismay at the manner in which local council elections that were held yesterday, were organized.
In the aftermath of a marathon voting activity across the country, several voters are still struggling to cope with the outcome of a process that was characterized by chaos, confusion and running battles between voters and security agencies.
The voters have decried the ease with which candidates in some places forged voting slips and ferried voters from neighbouring villages to vote in places away from their residences.
They are equally upset that many of them learnt about the village voters register on polling day.
Sheila Kusabira, a voter from Ntinda, a suburb of Kampala is frustrated that her name was not on the village voters register but adds that the credibility of the election was also affected by the choice of polling officers. She says that in one case the wife of a participating candidate was the electoral officer.
Gerald Kasozi, a voter at Ssempala Zone in Ntinda says the problem with the elections was that several non-residents bribed their way to the village register and as a result, residents were easily outnumbered.
At Kyambogo Cell polling station, in Kanungu District, most residents’ names are missing in the register. The name of Mr Gaetan Mwesigwa, one of candidates is also missing.
The residents have threatened to boycott the election.
In Gomba District, Mr Badru Kabega, the Electoral Commission registrar in Kabulasoke Sub-county has disqualified Mr Livingstone Mbuubi, who was contesting as an independent candidate for Magongo Local Council chairmanship.
He consequently announced Mr Erisa Lule, who stood on the National Resistance Movement ticket as the unopposed village chairman.
Mr Kabega says he unlawfully nominated Mr Mbuubi since it was past 6pm.
But Mr Mbuubi says he will challenge Mr Lule’s victory in court.
