URN.By 6.30am, a reasonable number of voters had turned up at polling stations such as Kayunga hospital ground NAM-Z, NU-NAM, A-M in Kayunga town council to check on their names in anticipation of the polls that started at 8:30 am. Elections were meant to start at exactly 7am according to EC.
Majority of polling stations in most parts of Kayunga district have registered a moderate turn up of voters in today’s by-election for deciding the next LC5 district chairperson though majority have been delayed to cast their votes by none-functional machines.
The Kayunga LC5 chair fell vacant following the death the district chairperson Muhammad Ffeffeka Sserubogo one month after taking office. The Electoral Commission organized a by-election to fill the position together with other vacancies under local governments across the country.
By 6.30am, a reasonable number of voters had turned up at polling stations such as Kayunga hospital ground NAM-Z, NU-NAM, A-M in Kayunga town council to check on their names in anticipation of the polls that started at 8:30 am. Elections were meant to start at exactly 7am according to EC.
At Namagabi RC which has a total of 702 voters expected to cast their votes, by 9am, about 100 people had turned up. At Light Collage N-Z where there are 836 voters about 80 voters had turned up and at A-M with 528 voters about 60 had turned up.
Isah Nsubuga, a voter at Light Collage SS blames EC for sending non-functional machines in a community it understands that belongs to workers who have less time spend in queues.
Sadik Muyonga another voter at Namagabi RC N-Z says despite the delays they will stay at the station until tallying of votes.
Nonetheless, there are also other polling stations where voting has delayed especially in the most rural areas such as Galiraya, Bbaale and some parts of Kangulumira sub county due delayed dispatch of election materials.
In most parts of Kangulumira sub county most of the polling stations have had over 50 voters camped awaiting for verification of their names. Where the electoral commission managed to dispatch materials on time again biometric machines took long to start.
At Kabira polling station, residents without National Identification Cards are being turned away to pick them or return with voter slips.
Jenipher Kyobutungi, the District Returning Officer, says election materials were dispatched off to various areas in the district on time but delays have been caused by the poor road network.
According to her, EC was able to prepare ahead, secure enough fuel, two vehicles to deliver materials and they are expected to retrieve on time from each sub county.
A total of 190, 921, voters were registered to vote at 338 polling stations within the district. The candidates in the race are Harriet Nakwede of the National Unity Platform-NUP, Anthony Waddimba from the Democratic Party-DP, and independent candidates; Boniface Bandikubi, Majid Nyanzi, and Jamil Kamoga.
Across the country, a total of 1, 246 candidates were nominated to contest for the 323 elective positions which have been vacant on various local government councils in 114 districts and cities.
In Kayunga, joint security forces are deployed at all polling stations and major towns. EC claims they were compelled to deploy following the violent election exercise that happened in Kayunga before.
Heavily deployed areas include; Kangulumira town council, Kayonza, Busaana, Kayunga town council, and sub county, Busana town council and Nazigo which EC identified as hotspots.
