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Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Electoral Commission-EC has cancelled the elections for leaders of the parish youth committees in Entebbe Division B over chaos. The Division has three parishes which include Kigungu, Kiwafu and Lugonjo-Nakiwogo.
On Wednesday, the village youth committee leaders from the division were expected to vote for the parish youth committee leaders. But, even though the election was held smoothly, the situation went out of hand when supporters of the NRM candidate Michelle Mwetta contested the outcome of the process.
The result had put the Democratic Party’s candidate Henry Nteza in the lead with 24 votes against Mwetta’s 19 votes. Supporters from both camps engaged in heated arguments, with each trading insults and accusing either camp of bribery and fueling violence.
When the chaos persisted, the electoral officers led by Disan Kigozi, the supervisor for Division A fled the polling station without declaring the winner. Kigozi, however, told journalists that the election was cancelled and fresh polls will be held on another date.
Entebbe Municipal Mayor, Vincent Kayanja De Paul, condemned the chaos and urged the army to desist from interfering with electoral processes.
Chaotic incidents were also seen in Katabi town council parish youth committee elections resulting from disagreements between contestants and supporters in Nkumba, some of whom sustained injuries in the process. But the voters have conflicting accounts on the exact cause of the chaos.
Entebbe Police station later deployed more officers at polling stations in Nkumba and Abayita Ababiri to resolve the conflict and ensure the exercise is completed without any other hiccups.
Meanwhile, at Division A, NRM candidates were elected unopposed in Central and Katabi parishes.
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