Armed men attack presiding officer, tick over 200 ballots in Oyam
By Bill Oketch
Several cases of violence have been reported in the ongoing Oyam North by-election. Unidentified armed men are said to have stormed Wang Lobo polling station in Otwal sub-county in Oyam district and put Mr. Walter Wacho, a presiding officer at gunpoint before forcefully ticking some ballot papers. These are said to have ticked 5 booklets containing 250 ballots.
“I kept quiet again for some two minutes then the guys came again and said, ‘we want the thing, we want to go away. We are going everywhere,” Mr Wacho said.
“I had no option but to give them five booklets. They went back to their vehicle and ticked the ballot papers, brought back 250 pre-ticked ballot papers and told me you do the accountability thing,” he narrated.
North Kyoga Region Police spokesperson Jimmy Patrick Okema says he is yet to receive a report on the alleged violence.
“I have not got that report. If it had come then it might not have reached my desk. However, yesterday when the Electoral Commission met, guidance was given to all stakeholders who were there. In case of anything which is unusual, it is upon the party officials, the candidates, the agents to make a formal report,” he told KFM on Thursday.
‘We have a command centre for a joint security team and also a complaint desk at the Tally Centre. So, probably, I need to inquire with the spokesperson for the Electoral Commission and verify that,” Okema added.
In another incident, at least 2 people have been arrested over alleged voter bribery. The duo is accused of dishing out money to voters on polling day.
Earlier, voting was disrupted by an early morning downpour. At Obangangeo polling station, Acaba sub-county, only 13 had cast their ballots out of over 600 registered voters by 9 am.
KFM’s Bill Oketch reported earlier that polling officials were forced to shift the voting exercise to an unfinished classroom structure, while some voters were seen taking shelter in nearby homes.
Over 93,000 voters are today choosing their next Member of Parliament who will succeed former state minister for labour Charles Engola, who was gunned down by his bodyguard on May 2.
The candidates in the race are; Daniel Okello of the National Unity Platform, Samuel Engola of the National Resistance Movement Dr. Eunice Apio Otuko of Uganda People’s Congress, and Newton Freddy Okello of Forum for Democratic Change.
