NRM voters shun woman MP primaries in Sembabule

Sembabule, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT |  The National Resistance Movement-NRM party recorded a very poor turn up in the election of its candidate for the Sembabule Woman MP race. It is said that many of the voters abandoned polling stations before voting. 

The primary was organised alongside the residual elections in Mawongola North and Mawogola West, where polls were earlier in the month halted, amidst reports of violence and other irregularities. 

According to the party guidelines issued on Tuesday, the voters were supposed to start by participating in the election of the constituency MPs after which they would proceed to vote for the women MP Aspirants. But many of the voters left the polling stations after the first process. 

At Byesika, Kyabelesa, Kashongi A and B polling stations in Kiwanda Sub County, the voters deserted the polling station shortly after counting the votes for the constituency MPs, despite the NRM electoral officials pleading with them to cue up and complete the polling exercise. The voters instead went away chanting in celebrations after the declaration of preliminary results that put Godfrey Aine Kaguta (SODO) ahead of Salim Kisekka and Shartsi Musherure Kuteesa.

George Muheirwe, a voter at Byesika Village in Kawanda Sub-county, Mawogola North Constituency told URN that the voters were largely enthusiastic to vote for the constituency aspirants as opposed to the district Women MP. According to him the voters in the area were charged by the gross malpractices that have for a long played out in Mawogola.  

Grace Kashendwa, another voter in Kashongi Village argues that besides the high voter excitement about the candidates in Mawogola North, the Woman MP contestants were unknown, yet they never effectively campaigned through the whole district.

John Byansi, the NRM sub-county Returning Officer for Mijwala sub-county says they are going to report back to the district party Electoral Commission Chairperson to find ways of handling the situation, arguing that they could not force the voters into lines.  

The primaries for the district Woman MP was only successfully conducted in eight out of the 17 counties that make up Sembabule district.  But partial results from the two constituencies of Lwemiyaga and Mawogola County put Mary Begumisa in the lead against Jovanice Twongyeirwe and Phoebe Arinaitwe.

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