Democratic Front Leaders Dispute SIGs Election Results

Leaders of the Democratic Front-DF have petitioned the Electoral Commission, protesting how the elections for special interest groups' village committees were conducted in Masaka. 

This month, the Electoral Commission held elections for village committees for Special Interest Groups (SIGs) that include the older persons, persons with special needs, and the youth councils that were elected on Thursday. 

However, the Democratic Front coordinators in Masaka, led by Dr Abed Bwanika, the Kimanya-Kabonera division MP, are protesting what they describe as glaring irregularities that manifested in the polls.

In their petition to the Electoral Commission’s Chairperson, Justice Simon Byabakama, they argue that in their area, the election process was not free and fair, indicating that it was deliberately skewed in favour of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM).

According to Bwanika, in the elections the local Electoral Commission Returning Officers abdicated their responsibilities to the NRM structural leaders who committed glaring electoral malpractices that include; manipulation of voters’ registers and organized swapping of candidates between parties, backdoor nomination of candidates, rigging, intimidation of voters among other irregularities that affected the integrity of the elections. 

//Cue in: “we were surprised….. 

Cue out; …..one polling station.”// 

Luganda 

  //Cue in: “twazze netugewa ku kuzibu…..   

Cue out; …..eyo ngenderere.”//      

Bwanika observes that the whole election exercise in the area requires serious administrative intervention by higher authorities in the electoral commission. 

He demands that the Commission conduct thorough investigations into the syndicate manipulation, process transfers for the implicated returning officers and order fresh elections in the affected villages. 

//Cue in; “we have therefore…..  

Cue out; …..this season also.”//  

Luganda  

//Cue in: “kati bino tubiraba…..   

Cue out: ….tugenda bubalaga,”//

Michael Mulindwa, the Nyendo-Mukungwe Division Chairperson, accuses the returning officers of tolerating the irregularities, which he says were directly orchestrated by Rogers Buregyeya, the Masaka City NRM Chairperson. 

He appeals to the Electoral Commission Chairperson to order for audit of the election outcomes from Masaka, arguing that there is a possibility that some of the candidates declared as unopposed could even be nonexistent.  

//Cue in: “the electoral commission….. Cue out; ……it couldn’t happen.”//  

Luganda 

//Cue in: “ffe tuzudde nti….  

Cue out; …..fujjo lyekannidde awo.”//     However, Rogers Buregeya, the Masaka City NRM Chairperson, has termed his counterparts' accusations as desperate cries after they failed to win the majority positions in the Special Interest Groups committee elections. 

On the other hand, he also expresses disappointment with some officials of the Electoral Commission, accusing them of nominating candidates outside the set timelines.  

(Luganda Audio)

//Cue in: “eky’amazima nze nawandiika…..   

Cue out; ……nga baavu bagume.”//    

Julius Muchunguzi, the Electoral Commission Spokesperson, could not confirm if the petition concerning the elections in Masaka has been submitted, but says that their teams are ready to address all the concerns as and when they are received.