The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Kisoro, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | The election of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party flag bearer for Kisoro District Woman MP race is ongoing amidst a low turnout of voters.
The candidates include are Rose Kabagyeni, the Senior Presidential Advisor on Agriculture, Brenda Fancy Nirere, Grace Ngabirano Akifeza, Hellen Mbonye, Faith Winfred Igiraneza, Jemimah Irankunda, Blessed Kitentera and Irene Mahirwe are in the race. Other five candidates: Slyvia Dushime, Louise Niyikiriza, Allen Nkurikiye, Aphia Nyiramahoro and Eva Twizere.
According to the NRM party electoral commission program, voters are supposed to arrive at polling stations between 8-9 am. Polling officials are supposed to educate voters as well as read the names of the voters between 9-11 am. Voting and counting is supposed to be conducted between 11:00 AM-1 PM.
However, at various polling stations, our reporter visited, the voters arrived at 11 am. At Kagezi village in Mpaka town council, none of the voters had arrived at the polling station. It was the same at the Nshungwe polling station in Busanza Sub County.
At, Karumera polling station commonly known as Mayor’s Gardens in Kisoro municipality, the reading of names started at 10:31 am with less than 30 voters present. At Kisoro Hill polling station commonly known as Saza grounds also in Kabale municipality, the reading of voters’ names in the register started at around 11:10 am.
Scovia Nyuramahoro, the polling official at Kisoro Hill polling station was heard explaining to Ibrahim Saiga, the Kigezi region police commander who had questioned why voting hadn’t kicked off by 11:45 am.
He said that that voters failed to turn up in time which delayed the start of citing.
Eldad Iriho, one of the voters at Kisoro Hill polling station told our reporter that there was poor sensitization of the voters about the exact time of voting.
Tang Odoi, NRM party Electoral Commission Chairperson says that the decision to conduct voting from 11 am to 1:00 pm, is to avoid double voting from one polling station to another.
Elly Maate, police spokesperson for Kigezi region says that security is on standby to thwart any negative element.
The by-election is to replace fallen Sarah Mateke Nyirabashitsi, Kisoro district woman member of parliament and also the State Minister for Defense and Veteran Affairs who died on September 7, after suffering a heart attack.
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