The Independent Uganda: You get the Truth we Pay the Price
Fort Portal, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Two Local council one chairpersons in Fort Portal Tourism City are wanted for alleged theft of Voter Location Slips-VLS. They are Isaac Kayemba and Ismail Kaganda, the LC I Chairperson of Nyakabaale B cell and Kisumbi B cell in Bukwali Ward in Central Division respectively.
To help voters locate their polling stations, the Electoral Commission-EC embarked on the countrywide distribution of the Voter Location Slips to every registered voter late last week. The slips include the name, photo, date of birth and polling station of the voter.
According to the Fort Portal Returning Officer, James Mugenyi, only parish supervisors that were recruited by the Electoral Commission at parish or ward level are mandated to issue the slips.
He, however, says shortly after the launch of the exercise, the two chairpersons went to the Bukwali ward supervisor, a one Rebecca and grabbed some slips from her and disappeared.
After learning about the matter, Mugenyi rushed to Bukwali ward and found Rebecca who led them to the homes of the accused but they were not there. Mugenyi then asked Rebecca to halt the process and led her to Fort Portal Central Police Station where she recorded a statement.
He also warned politicians who are planning to engage in the same act that they will be arrested and prosecuted.
Efforts to get a comment from Rebecca about the matter were futile as she declined to speak to our reporter. She also couldn’t tell Mugenyi how many slips the LC I chairpersons took off with, saying she needs time to count what she is remaining with.
Prior to this incident, the Forum for Democratic Change – FDC supporters in Fort Portal Tourism City had stormed the EC offices on Monday morning, protesting the manner in which the slips were being issued. Led by Ajuna Daka, the FDC candidate for the Fort Portal Central Parliamentary race, the supporters told Mugenyi that LC I chairpersons and not the parish supervisors were taking over the whole process, something that they strongly condemned.
Daka added that this could be a planned move aimed at denying opposition supporters the slips so that they fail to vote. But Mugenyi promised them that he was going to investigate the matter to its logical conclusion, saying that political leaders are not at any point allowed to interfere in the process.
********
URN
