NRM special interest groups elections unnoticed in Luweero villages

Luweero, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  Several National Resistance Movement supporters in Luweero district have missed Special Interest Groups elections held within their villages, due to lack of awareness. The elections held on Friday were choosing representatives for the youths, Persons with disabilities and the Elderly.

The group was supposed to vote nine officers for the youth committee, five for older persons and five for People With Disabilities. Luweero district received the election materials on Thursday and forwarded them to village registrars for elections on Friday. There are 606 villages in the district.

However, a random survey conducted in Luweero, Wobulenzi town councils and Butuntumula sub-county indicated that there was no election activity at the villages on Friday. Several NRM Village Chairpersons and Special Interest Group voters told URN that they were not aware of the exercise.

Namugera Nkokonyole, the NRM Chairperson of Kakoolo village in Luweero town says that some village registrars called up a few supporters and conducted elections without notifying others. Namugera adds that he only learnt about the elections through a phone call from the village registrar but the participation was poor.

Kisekka Ssaka, the NRM Chairperson of Lumu zone in Luweero town said he was not aware of any elections in his area.

George William Lubega, a Person with Disability at Kasana PIIDA zone in Luweero says that he was tipped by a friend in the morning about the elections and when he reached the polling station, he was told to accept and be elected as chairperson for the PWDs group.

Samuel Musaazi, an NRM youth at Nalongo village in Butuntumula sub-county says that lack of publicity aided the incumbents and disadvantaged those who wanted to contest. Musaazi says that although he wanted to contest, he learnt about the elections after the exercise had ended.

Isahak Mugema, the Youths Councillor at Luweero District Council says that many missed the exercise due to lack of awareness. As a result, he adds, several positions remained vacant. Mugema, however, condemned the office of the NRM Electoral Commission for not popularizing the polls.

But David Kamugisha the Luweero District NRM Registrar says that awareness was done through chairpersons and the supporters who fall in the categories. Kamugisha says that at the villages where there were few voters for the group, they advised them to seek consensus on the seats but in case they fail to agree they can go polls on Saturday.

According to the NRM roadmap, the primaries for Special Interest Group committees at Parish level are scheduled to take place on August 17, August 31, for district Councillors and September 4, for sub-county committees.

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URN