KAMPALA.
President Museveni has announced an electoral and criminal investigation into the just concluded Kawempe North by-election where Opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Erias Nalukoola emerged the winner
Mr Nalukoola garnered 17,764 votes, followed by National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate Faridah Nambi Kigingo who polled 8,593. Henry Kasacca of the Democratic Party (DP) 100 votes, Sadat Mukiibi, alias Aganaga, of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) 239 votes, and Ismail Musiitwa People’s Progressive Party (PPP) 39 votes. Independents Hanifah Karadi 381 votes, Muhamood Mutazindwa 186, Muhammed Lusswa Luwemba 240, Moses Nsereko 32, and Henry Stanley Maitum, the son of former President Milton Obot, managed to get only 22 votes.
According to Kampala city electoral area returning officer Henry Makabayi ,a total of 27,596 votes were cast y while 406 were invalid ballot papers out of the total number of 28, 002 ballot papers counted and only 49 ballot papers were spoiled.
But in a statement to the Bazukuulu(grand children) on Sunday ,Mr Museveni said several allegations have come up including ;ballot papers stuffing, altering results, destroying ballot boxes in Kazo-Angola, Mbogo Mosque zone among others . The President said he had also received information that some people did not want the votes to be counted while others were campaigning at the polling stations, intimidating voters and engaging in violence.
“In this piece, I am writing to inform you that an electoral and criminal investigation has started in the Kawempe North by-election.” He said
The heavy deployment of security forces may have stopped mass violence, but it could not stop these micro crimes that should have been managed by the election officials.,”
He said those who engaged in electoral fraud and violence had miscalculated because the National Resistance Movement( NRM) is in charge of the country .
“We shall hold everybody accountable. Those who intimidate NRM supporters must stop and apologize to those you intimidate. Those of the language: “yemwe abatusibyeko NRM”, must stop. Respect the Ugandans’ choices.” Mr Museveni said
The President revealed that ballot-stuffing has been going on since 1961 and it is the reason Uganda ended up being unstable.
“Leaders do not concentrate on solving people’s problems because they know they can cheat and be in power whether the people support them or not. This will stop.
That is why we are insisting on only bio-metric verification. Nobody else who is not bio-metrically verified will vote. I hope all the Ugandans who want peace will support this. It must be one person, one vote. Somebody was arrested with 18 ballot papers.” The president explained
He urged NRM supporters not to involve themselves in cheating just the Opposition is doing it.
“ Work to crush that disenfranchisement of the Ugandan people. That is why the NRM went to the bush,” he emphasised
On the security operatives who went on rampage and clobbered voters ,Opposition politicians and Journalists, Mr Museveni said government was still investigating this matter . He however wondered why UPDF and Joint Anti-Terrorism Taskforce personnel were deployed in Kawempe during the elections.
“I have heard People talking about the harsh methods by some security elements, especially against the journalists. We are studying this. However, the Original question should be: “Why should the UPDF and JATT have to be deployed in crowd management?” he asked .
He equated Uganda to an island of peace in the Region ,insisting that this is because of UPDF’s military mighty and discipline .
“ They(UPDF) have enough work fighting ADF, the cattle-rustlers in Karamoja, Kony in Central African Republic (CAR), al-shabaab in Somalia, etc.
There, they shoot to kill. That is why night club goers can dance the whole night in peace. Why, then, do they get diverted to deal with crowds? It is because of the indiscipline of some Opposition groups,” he said
Mr Museveni however, acknowledged that there were organizational mistakes on the NRM side, especially when party leaders failed to work collectively and reaching the Wanainchi. “Investigations will show us who destroyed the ballot paper boxes at Kazo-Angola, Mbogo centre, etc. and why.
“Could it be because of the big support the NRM has there because of the anti-poverty programmes in the area? Central Executive Committee is addressing those mistakes. We had a meeting last Friday.’’
Why Nalukoola won
Apart from Kawempe’s long lasting problems of poor drainage, rampant floods during the rainy season, impromptu water shortages, Nalukoola rode on the immense chaos caused by the different security agencies to earn himself a sympathy vote as he pranced to a victory against nine others. From the onset of the campaigns when the security unleashed terror on the NUP supporters as the melee spilled over to journalists alike, many NRM leaders decried the actions, saying they were de-campaigning the party.
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