As Rukungiri district takes to polls to elect the Woman Member of Parliament today, there is heightened security deployment in different parts of the district, according to observers.
Citizens Coalition on Electoral Democracy in Uganda (CCEDU) an election observing body described the situation as “a sea of security personnel and equipment”.
As of Wednesday, several officers of the Police could be seen patrolling Rukungiri municipality while numerous trucks had also been deployed to reinforce security in the district.
A statement by CCEDU released this morning states that “although the campaigns ended without serious incidents, the district remains a sea of security personnel and equipment; and security remains generally very tight as per this morning – 31stMay 2018”.
Crispin Kaheru, the CCEDU Coordinator says that several roadblocks have been mounted at specific entry and exit points of Rukungiri district.
“For instance, last night, roadblocks were erected at Buyanja (Omukiragiro) on Ntugamo-Rukungiri road and at Nyakibaare at the junction of Nyarushanje and Nyakishenyi sub counties. The roadblocks are being manned by military Police,” Kaheru said in a statement.
He says that the by-election is “a highly securitized affair especially judging from the number of senior military officers present and active in the district as well as the level of deployment of the rank and file security personnel”.
“It seems apparent that the Electoral Commission (EC) itself is trying to manage an ostensibly overbearing security apparatus to ensure that voters exercise their franchise in a reasonably calm environment without undue interference or intimidation,” CCEDU said.
Meanwhile, there have been reports that voting opened later than the designated time (7am) at some polling stations even within the municipality due to the delay in arrival of polling constables. In other stations, materials arrived slightly late.
The obsevers noted that unlike in previous by-elections of this nature, delivery of polling materials to the furthest sub counties of: Bikurungu town council, Nyakishenyi sub county, Bwambara sub county and Nyarushanje sub county was done yesterday (Wednesday) to ensure that materials are at polling stations in time to allow for opening of polling stations at the designated time.
Today, EC begun dispatching polling materials to the other 12 sub counties at around 4:00am and by 6:00am, the process had been almost completed. Polling materials were being transported from the Rukungiri district EC offices.
Rukungiri district has 16 sub counties, 87 parishes, 280 polling stations and 177,086 registered voters.
According to Kaheru, the observers are paying keen attention to three (3) of the 16 sub counties including: Nyakishenyi, Nyarushanje and Bwambara, which are said to be potential hotspots, based on occurrences in previous elections.
CCEDU has deployed 27 fully accredited and trained observers to monitor the elections.
While there are 4 candidates vying for the Rukungiri District Woman MP position, the top competitora are Winfred Matsiko of the ruling NRM and Betty Muzanira of the opposition FDC party. Others are Fabith Kukundakwe (PPP) and Prisca Sezi Mbaguta (independent).
In the final leg of the campaigns, both President Yoweri Museveni and FDC strongman, Dr Kizza Besigye had camped in the district to mobilize support for their respective candidates.
