The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Wakiso, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The Katabi Town Council National Resistance Movement-NRM Party Registrar, Muhammad Kivumbi is under fire for allegedly altering the Busiro South NRM primary election results.
He is particularly accused of altering the results for the contestants including the incumbent, Peter Ssematimba, Charles Lwanga, Ronald Ssenyondwa and Titus Kiwanuka.
The polling agents of Lwanga and Ssenyondwa raised the red flag during the compilation of the results at the tally centre.
They claimed that in Bugabo, where Ssenyondwa resides, he won with 169 voted while Lwanga and Ssematimba got two votes each.
However, Kivumbi recorded on the declaration forms that Ssematimba and Lwanga had each garnered 502 votes in Bugabo.
He reportedly also recorded that Ssematimba got 733 votes at Sisa polling station yet Lwanga’s supporters say he garnered only 33 votes.
Kivumbi is also accused of hiding the declaration forms for Bufulu, Bulega and Bugabo polling stations.
This prompted the supporters of Ssematimba and Lwanga to exchange blows accusing each other of altering the results. Ssematimba’s supporters led by Hajjat Rahma and Joseph Kato faulted Lwanga’s polling agents for alleged dishonesty.
Rahma, who also doubles as Ssematimba’s political assistant has tasked the complainants to present declaration forms, which indicate that Lwanga is in the lead.
Before the scuffle in Katabi, preliminary results showed that Lwanga had polled 991 votes against Ssematimba’s 948 votes from 23 villages. Busiro South comprises over 101 villages.
Njuki Mbabali, the Entebbe Deputy Residential Commissioner, says poll results were also altered in 7 other polling stations.
He summoned Kivumbi to his office in Entebbe on Friday night to respond to the allegations because the chaotic incidents in Busiro South pose a security threat. a
Kivumbi reported to Njuki’s office after 7 pm where a closed-door meeting that lasted for two hours was held in the presence of Entebbe District Police Commander.
The officials instructed Kivumbi to present accurate results to the NRM Wakiso tally center, where all candidates would be announced from.
Lwanga’s supporters, who also stormed Njuki’s office, jubilated when they saw Kivumbi being driven off on the back of a police patrol. However, Ssematimba’s supporters accuse Njuki of usurping the role of the Wakiso tally center, which they say can ably investigate the allegations of altered results.
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