MICHAEL N
The PWDS LC3 election in Nyamunuka Town Council, Ntungamo District, has reached the third attempt without being concluded successfully.
The election, which was held on Thursday, 14th August, at Nyamunuka Town Council offices, became unsuccessful as the contestants did not agree on the results.
Speaking to our reporter, Urbans Mareere Rugumba, who is contesting with Rashidi Rukundo in the NRM primaries for LC3 Councilor representing PWDs of Nyamunuka Town Council, expressed his grievances on how the voting exercise was not free and fair. He accuses Shahiduh Kabanza, the Chairperson of PWDs in Nyamunuka, of having connived with the registrar so that his comrade Rukundo could be declared the winner.
Urbans Mareere further acknowledged that he wrote a petition to the Ntungamo Registrar showing his grievances, and the next day, Friday, a fresh election was to be held. However, this was unsuccessful because the registrar came with the register of the Electoral Commission instead of the Yellow Book. The election was later postponed to Sunday, but still, misunderstandings erupted and the voting never happened.
Yasin Mugisha, who is the current LC3 Councilor for PWDs in Nyamunuka, revealed that the registers being used are outdated, which he says is causing injustice in the NRM party. He accuses the Nyamunuka Town Council leadership of trying to forge and remove some people from voting, citing that capable leaders are being denied a chance.
Speaking to Shahiduh Kabanza, the Chairperson of PWDs in Nyamunuka who is accused, he distanced himself from the allegations, saying that the only problem is the lack of clear registers to guide the voting process. He also says that Urbans Mareere is not in the Yellow Book and, having lost in the first voting, is now bringing excuses to corrupt people’s minds.
Robert Arinatwe, the NRM Registrar of Nyamunuka Town Council, acknowledged that the problem was with the registers used at first. He says some people were being added indirectly to the registers, yet only 30 people are supposed to vote for the six parishes in Nyamunuka, where each parish is represented by 5 PWDs.
Robert further revealed that after checking today with the Ntungamo District Registrar, Maria Mirembe, it was confirmed that Urbans Mareere is not in the Yellow Book, though he has been causing disorder in the voting process. He says a fresh and free election is to be held today in Nyamunuka Town Council.
Our reporter also tried to talk to Ntungamo District NRM Registrar, Maria Mirembe; however, she said she does not have enough information about the misunderstandings.
