Heavy Rains, Low Turn-up Disrupts NRM Elections in Lubaga, Kawempe

A heavy downpour in Kampala has disrupted NRM elections in Lubaga Division.

Voting that had started on a very low pace had to stop in some areas that URN visited.

At Wakaliga, Natete, Mengo among others polling officials had to seek shelter at neighbouring buildings to run away from the raging rain. The polls have attracted a very low turn up. 

At some polling station like in Kosovo, Kasubi and Lugala there were hardly 20 people. Others like at Mengo near Bulange building by 11:20 am when URN visited not even the polling officials had turned up yet.

Tallying is expected to commence after 3 pm to know who will be the NRM flag bearer in the Lord Mayoral race.

The contest is between Musician Daniel Kazibwe aka Ragga Dee and Ssebaana Kizito, a nephew of former Kampala Mayor, the late John Ssebaana Kizito. 

In Kawempe voters had to wait in long lines after their names went missing at Muluka IV, Complex, Mitchell, Livingstone and University Hall polling centers.

Lawrence Kato, a voter at University Hall says voters waited for hours since 10 am, as confused poll officials struggled to read through the NRM registers, demarcate the voting areas. Some polling stations were without polling agents for candidates and polling supervisors.

Joseph Senabulya, a voter at Mitchell hall says delays in voting were caused by candidates who ferried voters from Wandegeya, Katanga, Kyebando and Kikumi Kikumu and Nakulabye to take part in unsupervised voting. He says the voters after voting from Muluka I, II and zone 6a and 6b turned up finally at Mitchell Hall. The verification had to be repeated just like in the rest of 13 out of 19 polling stations in Makerere University.

Angella Asele, a voter at Muluka IV says in addition to a lot of voter confusion, there was a lot of poll agent’s confusion. She says voters were turned away by poll agents when they should have been allowed to line up and vote. Instead when the names were read by the election officer youths from groups showed up to vote without verification.