At least 20 people were arrested in Kampala Metropolitan area in incidents of rigging and voter bribery during elections for municipal councillors and division mayors yesterday.
The suspects were arrested in Nansana Municipality, Wakiso District, Makindye Division, Wandegeya Town and Central Division in Kampala.
Kampala Metropolitan Police spokesperson Patrick Onyango said some of the suspects were arrested with pre-ticked ballot papers while others were bribing voters at the polling stations.
“They are detained in various police stations within Kampala Metropolitan Police on charges of impersonation under Section 153 of the Local Government Act over voter bribery and unauthorised voting. Their statements are being recorded and their files will be submitted to the State Attorney for perusal and legal advice,” he said.
Mr Onyango said despite incidents of bribery and rigging in Kampala Metropolitan area, the security situation was calm.
In Makindye Division, police arrested a polling assistant at Kavule II Polling Station while issuing pre-ticked ballots to voters in favour of Mr Julius Kabisa.
“Evelyn Birabwa, a polling assistant, had 37 of pre-ticked ballot papers at the time she was arrested. We have detained her,” Mr Onyango said.
There was chaos at polling stations on Sixth Street in Industrial Area, Kampala, and Summit View in Naguru, a Kampala suburb, where police and military security personnel raided the areas and ordered agents to leave.
Summit View polling station is near a military facility.
Mr Godfrey Mwesigwa, who witnessed the raid at Summit View, said polling agents left and the voting was done without any witnesses.
Similar incidents were registered at a polling station near the Makindye Police Barracks where security personnel chased away people and journalists.
On Sixth Street, polling agents of candidates said security personnel raided the station and ordered them to leave, prompting chaos.
One polling agent said two vehicles suspected of carrying pre-ticked ballot papers attempted to access the venue.
Mr Onyango confirmed that a complaint was registered but their investigations didn’t find any substance in it.
SOURCE: DAILY MONITOR
