NRM voters in Makindye missed voting after failing to present National IDs

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Voting for the National Resistance Movement candidates was earlier today characterized by protests after some of the voters were barred from participating in the process for failing to present National Identity cards.

At Kalani, Nakinyuguzi and Boston villages, NRM EC presiding officers turned away voters who failed to present national ID’s even if their names appeared on the NRM voter’s register. It took the intervention of local government leaders in the area to change the situation.

Busingye Aidah, the women chairperson of Boston village said that they only managed to convince the presiding officers at some polling stations to allow party members to vote as long as they could be verified and confirmed as area residents.

However, other NRM leaders especially village chairmen stood against the proposal that non-National ID holders should be allowed to vote, saying that this was intended to avoid vote-rigging.

Tinyefunza Lubiri, the NRM chairman of Kalani zone in Makindye West said the NRM should be exemplary because it is a replica of the national general elections. He blocked a number of his party members saying that he would rather allow those whose names don’t appear in the party register but appear in the NIRA data and they have National IDs.

But Edward Lugemwa Bwanika, the LCII chairperson of Salama parish explained that it was necessary to follow the guidance issued by the party’s national chairman Yoweri Museveni who advised NRM EC to allow people to vote even when their names were not on the voter’s register.

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