Kampala Central Election Supervisors Report Massive Voter Turnout

More than half of voters at different polling stations in Kampala Central Division had already cast their vote by 1.00 pm, Uganda Radio Network-URN has learnt.

The Division has 126 polling stations with 112,829 voters out of the 18.1 million registered voters countrywide. According to the Electoral Commission -EC male voters constitute 47.5 per cent while Females are 52.5 per cent. 

The electorate has today been voting for a presidential, a directly area Member of Parliament and Woman Member of Parliament.   Despite voting kicking off after the stipulated time of 7 a.m, many voters had already cast their vote by lunchtime while others were still in long queues waiting to make their choice.

Doreen Ayebazibwe, the Parish Supervisor for Nakasero IV said that the voting exercise has so far been peaceful contrary to their earlier expectation and that the turnout of voters is a positive for the whole exercise.   At Mukwano Centre (A-M) polling station, Ayebazibwe reported that the turnout of voters has been high and that out of the expected 970 voters; more than 500 had cast their vote by 1:00 pm.

URN observed a number of people still in the line waiting for their turn to vote at the polling station. This was the same situation at Mukwano Centre (N-Z) polling station. 

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Abel Kato, the Presiding Officer for Seroma Parking Yard Polling Station said that the turn up has been good and that voting had virtually closed by lunchtime but they need to wait for stipulated 4:00 pm to end the process.  

Our reporter learnt that majority of expected 683 voters at this polling station arrived early to cast their vote and vacated the station. At 12:49 pm when we visited the polling station, there were hardly voters on the line and some polling assistants were seen having early lunch.  

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Margaret Katushabe, the presiding officer at People Plazzer Lane polling Station, Nakivubo also reported a big turnout and calmness among the voters. She said that out of the expected 721 voters at the polling station more than 400 have already cast their vote.  

Katushabe added that despite starting an hour late due to the slow information processing by the Biometric Voter Verification Machine, they have managed to guide the electorate quickly through the voting process.  

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The situation at People Plaza polling station and others visited by our reporter was not any different from Martin Road Mango Tree and Martin Road- At Kumar Supermarket polling stations where hundreds of voters were seen in the line waiting to cast their vote.

  Speaking about the massive voter turnout, Ivan Mutasingwa a voter at Kisementi, Kololo said that the numbers could be due to the increased civic education among the masses about their right to vote.  

“The turn up is good and people are calm. People are now aware of their rights and I think this is why many people have come out to vote,” he said.  

A voter who preferred anonymity at Nalunkuma Road polling station in Kamwokya said that many young people who did not vote in the 2016 general election have now come of age and turned out in big numbers to vote. He also said that even those who had shifted and are registered voters in the area has returned to ensure that they cast their vote hence the big turnout.