Two more arrested with over 300 pre-ticked ballots in Rakai

Rakai, Uganda |  THE INDEPENDENT | Two people were picked up during the local council polls in Rakai district with more than 300 pre-ticked ballot papers. The suspects were spotted by voters who tipped polling agents and polling assistant at Lugalama Catholic polling station in Lwamagwa town council.      

They were rounded up by the irate voters who beat them up before police and army officers intervened to save them from the mob. The pre-ticked ballots were in favour of Godfrey Bajjungu, the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate for the Rakai LC 5 Chairperson’ seats.

The incident happened about 20 minutes to 4 pm, which interfered with the vote tallying process for another hour as the voters demanded the nullification of results from the said polling station. Enoch Ssenkaayi, the Presiding Officer and Maria Namuddu, the polling assistant at Lugalama Catholic polling station confirmed the incident, saying the pre-ticked ballots had not reached the boxes since the suspects were arrested in time.  

Charles Mubiru, the Rakai Resident District Police Commissioner, says the suspects were taken to the Lwamaggwa police station where they will be charged with election malpractice. Muhammad Nsubuga, the Masaka Regional Police spokesperson, says they are investigating the matter to establish where the suspects got the ballot papers. 

He says the suspects will be produced in court upon the conclusion of their investigations. The arrest of the suspects came just three hours after Deus Tumwesigye, a polling agent of Samuel Kaggwa Ssekamwa, an independent candidate was arrested with 50 pre-ticked ballot papers at Kakundi Heath Centre Polling Station in Lwamagwa town council.  

The suspect was nabbed by Grace Nalubega, the chief campaigner of Eliab Kigundu Sango, the National Unity Platform candidate with the help of voters and polling agents before they called police to take him.

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