15 arrested over Oyam election chaos
The police in Oyam district are holding 15 suspects in connection to the chaos that was reported during the parliamentary by-election.
According to the Kyoga region police spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema, these include a group that was riding motorcycles to reportedly escort ballot boxes to polling stations.
He says 14 motorcycles were also impounded and will be released after conclusion of the election exercise.
The others were arrested for alleged voter bribery and intimidation during the election exercise.
The hotly contested by-election was won by opposition Uganda Peoples’ Congress candidate Dr Eunice Apio.
She was declared winner with 15,718 votes (49%) of the total votes cast, while her closest challenger, Samuel Engola Jr of the ruling National Resistance Movement (NRM) polled 15,176 (47%).
The Oyam North seat fell vacant following the demise of former labour state minister Col Charles Engola who was shot dead by his bodyguard at his home in Kampala on May 2.
The others in the race were Daniel Okello of the National Unity Platform (NUP), and Newton Freddy Okello of Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
