Rubanda, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The National Resistance Movement (NRM) party has cancelled the Primary election of Rubanda East MP Henry Musasizi to pave way for a fresh tally of votes from 16 disputed polling stations.
This follows a petition filed by Rubanda District Chairman Kenneth Jogo Biryabarema, his main challenger in the race to Parliament. Musasizi had been declared the winner on September 5 after collecting 23,330 votes, defeating Biryabarema who garnered 22,412 votes.
However, Biryabarema and his supporters accused Musasizi of conniving with the NRM district registrar Aggrey Monday, Gaudioza Kabondo, an official from the party’s National Electoral Commission and Dezi Christmas, the district party administrator to rig votes.
On September 8, Biryabarema petitioned the NRM Electoral Commission and accused Monday of masterminding irregularities in the process. He specifically pointed out that it was erroneous for Monday to use a vehicle belonging to Prossy Akampurira Mbabazi, a district woman Member of Parliament while delivering declaration forms to sub-counties yet she was also a candidate.
He also faulted Monday for deliberately tallying votes wrongly with a mission of announcing Musasizi the winner, adding that a tally by his agents gave him a 51 per cent win over Musasizi. He also argued that the registrars allowed Musasizi to sneak some of the declaration forms inside the tally centre for consideration while tallying.
In his defence, Musasizi argued that his supporters were denied the chance to vote in most polling stations in Bubaare sub-county, although he continued to fight and won.
Today evening, Enock Barata, the NRM’s Elections Dispute Tribunal Chairperson ordered that results from 16 polling stations be re-tallied. Some of the contested villages include Rwamate, Butaturwa, Rukinda, Kamusya B, Bwisa and Kitojo among others where figures were allegedly altered.
Barata ordered that the fresh tally should be carried out with immediate effect in the presence of both parties and a member of the tribunal, after which, the winner will be announced.
Earlier the anti-riot police spent the day in running battles with Biryabarema’s supporters in Bubaare sub-county and Hamuhambo town council who were protesting the delay by the NRM Electoral Commission to announce its verdict.
Some of the protestors said that they voted for Biryabarema overwhelmingly but were surprised how Musasizi was declared the winner.
Voters from Bubaare were intercepted and dispersed by Anti-riot police and Uganda People Defense Forces (UPDF) soldiers under the command of Tai Ramadhan, the Rubanda District Police Commander. They had blocked the road at Muchahi trading centre while matching to Rubanda district headquarters.
At Hamuhambo Trading Centre, the police and UPDF soldiers were forced to shoot live bullets and teargas after locals defied orders to halt the protest. Tai advised the protestors to wait for the outcome from the EC as opposed to rioting.
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