Four contenders reject Buruli NRM primary results, demand fresh elections
He however, advised the aggrieved candidates to formally petition the NRM Secretariat, emphasizing that his office lacks the authority to cancel results or order a re-run.
Masindi: Four contestants in the recently concluded National Resistance Movement (NRM) primaries for the Buruli County parliamentary seat in Masindi district have officially rejected the results, citing widespread irregularities and electoral malpractice.
The election, held last week in Masindi District, saw incumbent MP Ronald Aled Akugizibwe declared winner with 9,147 votes (45%). He was followed by Julius Mugisa with 4,140 votes (20%), Zacheus Mwetegye with 3,687 votes (18%), Stephen Kabindi with 2,840 votes (14%), and Patrick Angei with 326 votes (3%).
At a press conference held Monday evening at Albert Gardens in Masindi Town, the four losing candidates; Mwetegye, Mugisa, Kabindi, and Angei jointly declared the election a sham, citing incidents of vote rigging, violence, voter intimidation, and disenfranchisement.
Zacheus Mwetegye, who is leading the petition, alleged that most electoral officials from village to sub-county level were compromised. “Our agents were blocked from performing their roles. They were denied declaration forms, and in some cases, forced to sign blank forms before results were even entered. This gave room for manipulation in favor of the incumbent,” Mwetegye stated.
He added that the entire process was marred by irregularities that rendered the final results unreflective of the actual votes cast.
Mwetegye said the group is petitioning the NRM Secretariat to nullify the results and call for a re-election that will truly represent the will of the people of Buruli County.
Stephen Kabindi accused electoral officials, with the alleged backing of security personnel, of starting the vote before the official time and manipulating voter registers.
“In some polling stations, voters were missing from the register, declaration forms were signed before counting, and in places like Kitooka Polling Station, results were allegedly altered in favor of the incumbent,” he said.
Julius Mugisa announced that they would submit a formal complaint to the NRM Electoral Commission Tribunal seeking a full investigation into the conduct of the primaries.
Patrick Angei, the least-voted candidate, described the exercise as a “sham election.” He claimed that military deployment scared away his supporters and alleged that his polling agents in stronghold areas were bribed on the eve of the vote.
Moses Ogwang, the Masindi District NRM Registrar and Electoral Commission Returning Officer, responded to the allegations by stating that all polling stations were provided with enough declaration forms one for each candidate and an additional copy for the district office.
Ogwang, however, advised the aggrieved candidates to formally petition the NRM Secretariat, emphasizing that his office lacks the authority to cancel results or order a re-run.
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