The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Returning officers for the five divisions in Kampala have expressed concerns over bribes being given to presiding officers to alter results on declaration forms.
Robert Mugabe, the returning officer for Kawempe division, Ivan Munanura, returning officer Makindye division and Doreen Musiime, returning officer Kampala Central division said several bribes have been given to presiding officers to alter results after they have been declared at polling stations.
Mugabe said the hiccups that came up with the declaration of Makerere University male councilor and direct councilor of Kawempe South Division were because of presiding officers who received bribes.
“We have identified the presiding officers and we are going to open a case and instruct police to arrest them alongside the politicians who influenced them,” Mugabe said.
Musiime said results from Kololo and Nakasero were delayed by presiding officers and this affected her declaration schedule. Kampala Central had the least number of candidates with only two direct councilors and one-woman councilor but winners were declared amidst protests by agents and candidates.
All the three elective positions in Kampala Central were scooped by National Unity Platform candidates. Francis Mbazira won Nakasero I with 5,577 votes followed by NRM’s Kizito Moses Nsubuga with 3,071 votes, Moses Katabazi won Nakasero II with 10,227 followed by DP’s Labson Kijjambu with 2,768 votes while Mavis Nakitende won Central division woman councilor with 12,869 votes followed by NRM’s Eva Birungi who polled 9,141 votes.
Munanura said only four of 11 elective positions had issues with delays or tampering in polling station declaration forms. Makindye has 385 polling stations which according to Munanura give temptations for politicians to think since they are many, a few can be altered through bribing presiding officers.
In Makindye, results on altered declaration forms were ignored and it was resolved that they go with figures already being possessed by agents of various candidates. It is reported in one of the polling stations in Kawempe, a presiding officer was offered 2 million shillings while in Makindye one was offered 1.5 million shillings.
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