The stretch from Nakawa to Namanve is heavily guarded by the Military Police, Uganda Police and Local Defense Unit personnel, mainly around Spear Motors, Kyambogo Road, Kireka Trading Centre and Bweyogerere.
This was revealed by the Attorney General William Byaruhanga while presenting a statement to Parliament on Wednesday. Earlier, Parliament had tasked the Attorney General to announce the specific dates whose absence was affecting aspirant’s campaign and election programs
The security personnel who are meant to ensure there is strict adherence to hand washing and standard operating procedures at Rubaga are camped outside the gate and interacting with some of the candidates. No temperature is being checked for anybody, and almost everyone is wearing their facemask like a necklace.
Businge polled 12,877 votes while Wembabazi had 13,934 votes. the other contestant Juliet Kusiima came third with 484 votes, according to the results which were read by Hoima NRM Registrar Brian Mugenyi at Kitara secondary school tally centre.
The Chairperson of the NRM Electoral Commission Dr Tanga Odoi told URN this morning that the elections were halted after sparks of violence between supporters of the area MP Harriet Mugenyi Businge and her main challenger Beatrice Wembabazi.
According to the notice dated August 14, all aspirants for Parliamentary Seats are supposed to pay 100,000 Shillings, aspirants for all district seats, and LC III leadership seats are expected to pay 50,000 Shillings, while Town Councilors will pay 30,000 Shillings. Billboards will separately be charged a fee ranging between 30,000 and 50,000 Shillings each, depending on their sizes.
Ibrahim Ssemujju Nganda, the Opposition Chief Whip in Parliament, says that the opinion poll rightfully indicates that living conditions of Ugandans are bad it contradicts that Ugandans are happy with the current President.
Several legislators have welcomed the move, saying the NRM’s decision is a message that the country should actually open up for elections. They, however, warn that the government should not apply different standards to the opposition if they chose to follow the same direction.
The heavy deployment started on Wednesday morning on most streets including Main Street, Fort portal road and government road among others as the candidates vying for the Hoima Woman MP seat were being nominated.
The candidates are Asinasi Kamanda Nyakato of the Forum for Democratic Change-FDC party and Harriet Businge Mugenyi of the National Resistance Movement-NRM Party.
Parliament on Wednesday evening approved an additional funding of Shillings 344.2 billion to the Electoral Commission to enable the election body prepare for the coming general elections in 2021.
Speaker of Parliament Rebecca Kadaga has directed Prime Minister Ruhakana Rugunda to explain government’s position on the pending elections in new districts.
Addressing Journalists in Hoima on Tuesday, Odoi warned area members of parliament and other high ranking government officials against interfering in the primaries.
Kikuube district, which was curved out of Hoima, became operational on July 1, 2018. The district comprises the sub counties of Buhimba, Bugambe, Kyangwali, Kabwoya and Kizirafumbi and it is hosts Banyoro, Alur, Bakiga, Lugbara and Acholi tribesmen.
The primaries for Kikuube LC5 seat and the Hoima Woman MP seat have been postponed three times by the NRM party electoral commission. They were meant to be held on August 8, but postponed to 14th and then 28th August.
The Deputy NRM Electoral Commission Chairperson, Dr. John Arimpa Kigyagi, told URN about Shillings 920million is needed to conclude the entire process. He says that money is needed to print ballot papers, purchase ballot boxes, and cater for transport and the human resource.
James Ebitu, the Director of Social Protection in the Gender Ministry, argues that the elders councils stretch from grass root to national level and as candidates progress to other levels, they live gaps that need to be filled but Electoral Commission doesnt have resources to conduct elections immediately.
