As soon as voting ended at 5:00 pm, a meticulous counting process began after a dramatic day of polling that ended in bloodshed and left many others behind bars on election-related offences.

In some areas in Eastern Uganda, polls closed behind schedule amid chaos, confusion and isolated instances of violence. With very many people still wedged in lengthy queues, at various polling stations particularly in urban centers, polling officials were left with no choice but to extend the deadline to 7am.

Dr Kizza Besigye

In Soronko district, Police Commander Gerald Manta was by press time admitted in Mbale regional hospital where he was reportedly fighting for his life after opposition supporters attacked him in chaotic scenes that ensued over allegations of ballot stuffing.

Earlier, in Budadiri West, the incumbent MP, Mr Nandala Mafabi (FDC), was also attacked in a scuffle that left Julius Odeke, a journalist working with The Razor newspaper shot in the knee allegedly by the bodyguards for the Minister in charge of the Presidency, Ms Beatrice Wabudeya. Ms Wabudeya is contesting against Mr Mafabi.

Electoral Commission Chairman, Eng. Badru Kiggundu whose competence to deliver a free and fair poll has been under scrutiny for the last several months that preceded the elections was quick to say “sorry for election hiccups”, claiming that Uganda is a growing democracy.Observers acknowledged that the vote was marred by late opening of polls, confusion with electoral lists and organizational issues, but they were not prepared to pass the judgment on the credibility of the electoral process.
Our correspondents in Eastern Uganda said at least 42 people were arrested in Tororo Municipality on various crimes related to elections violence. Two buses belonging to Kakise Bus Company were also intercepted ferrying voters from neighboring districts to vote in Tororo Municipality. By press time police was still investigating the matter.

In Northern Uganda, particularly in Chwa Constituency, Mr Livingstone Okello-Okello, the incumbent MP claimed that ballot boxes were pre-ticked yet in other areas particularly in Acholi and Lango sub-regions, voting bureaux were closed prematurely because of violence and vandalism and, like the case in other areas across the country voters, names were missing on the register.

In Mwenge North, Kyenjojo district, the Forum for Democratic Change parliamentary candidate, Siisa Patrick Winyi, who is also the party district chairman, claimed that security agents were grabbing voter registers from their agents at most polling stations.

Kampala City was not spared either. In all the five divisions, the voting materials delayed and our correspondents talked of hours of confusion caused by “last minute” absence of some names from the voters register and logistical difficulties.

In the district of Masaka, Jinja, Luwero, Mityana, and Nakaseke the situation remained calm and the voting ended with minor hiccups. However the delays were also experienced in these areas and as a result, many prospective voters got tired and left in protest yet others, their names were missing on the voters’ roll.

In Karamoja, our correspondents said there was a good turn up in polling stations across the seven districts of this volatile region. In Moroto district, one of the parliamentary candidates for Moroto Municipality Mr. David Pulkol was attacked by the team allegedly hired by the security agencies in Moroto district. Mr. Pulkol was attacked at 10:00 a.m in Moroto high school where he was dropping one of his agents.

In Agago Constituency, Pader District, returning officer Mr Rashid Hasakya said only one of 155 polling stations in Agago had not opened for voting by 2.00 p.m as the required minimum of five voters had not showed up at the station.

Pader District Register Mr Rober Ochen cited a similar situation at Angagura, a former UPDF detachment only a few kilometers from Aswa Bridge, where the voting materials remained sealed as no voters turned. Mr Ochen said the materials would be returned to the Pader EC office.
 Reported by Yasiin Mugerwa, Flavia Nalubega, David Mafabi, Ephraim Kasozi, Al-Mahadi Ssenkabirwa, Michael Ssegawa, Isaac Imaka, Daniel Wandera, Steven Ariong, Isaac Khisa, Mercy Nalugo, Robert Mwanje and Flavia Lanyero
 ©Monitor Team

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