However, at several polling stations visited by URN reporters, there were either few or no polling agents. Even candidates sponsored by parties which have grassroots structures in Wakiso like National Resistance Movement; Forum for Democratic Change and Democratic Party had no representation.
Many candidates in the on-going Local Government elections in
Wakiso have failed to field polling agents at polling stations.
Polling agents are critical officers who serve as the eyes and
ears protecting the interests of their parties or candidates at polling
stations.
However, at several polling stations visited by URN reporters, there were
either few or no polling agents. Even candidates sponsored by parties that have
grassroots structures in Wakiso like National Resistance Movement; Forum for Democratic
Change and Democratic Party had no representation.
Derrick Kasumba, a candidate in Wakiso Town Council, blames the failure to
field polling agents for lack of funds. Kasumba notes that in his electoral
area there are 35 polling stations and therefore a candidate needs more than
two million to pay the agents.
“One of the reasons why you are not seeing agents is money.
Someone vying to be a district councilor might not have two million to pay
these people. On top of that, you have to feed and transport them. In many
cases we rely on friends to take on such roles, where you don’t have a friend
it means you are most likely not to deployment,” Kasumba said.
Maria Nakiboneka, National Unity Platform’s Nansana West I B
candidate, is one of the many that has no agents. When our reporter found her
at St Joseph Catholic Church polling station she appeared panicky and confused.
She thought that the party leadership could have sorted the matter. However,
that wasn’t the case.
“Time is running out and I have no agents in most of the polling
stations. We had planned for the deployment but some of our people have not
turned,” she noted. She further argued that she was going to earmark critical
areas to ensure that they were covered.
Simon Nsubuga, one of the candidates vying for the Wakiso LCV
seat, says getting agents for the on-going round of the election wasn’t an easy
task.
Nsubuga, who is contesting on Democratic Party ticket, adds that
his team had planned to deploy agents which the party had fielded in the presidential
and parliamentary election but most of them refused because they were not paid.
//Cue in; “Some delays...
