Uganda goes to the polls amid glaring irregularities

By Patrick Mathangani in Kampala, Uganda

Ugandans flocked polling stations to pick a new president and MPs amid massive irregularities.

In yesterday’s poll, voters were expected to pick 237 elected MPs and 112 district women leaders.

Scores of voting centres received ballot boxes without lids –– opening up what some observers said was a window for rigging of the much anticipated poll.

A woman casts her vote in Kampala Friday. Ugandans voted in an election expected to extend President Yoweri Museveni’s reign to three decades. [PHOTO: EVANS HABIL/STANDARD]

Many polling stations in the capital, Kampala, opened late, with voting starting as late as 11am. Similar irregularities were reported across Uganda. President Yoweri Museveni is battling it out with seven other candidates in what is billed as the biggest challenge yet to his 24-year rule.

The electoral commission registered more than 13 million voters, but scores were turned away because their names were missing on the official register.

Voters turned up early at 23,900 polling centres across the nation, where voting was slated to start at 7am and end at 5am.

Those turned away at the polling centres said the commission had stolen their right to choose their own leaders.

"It’s unfair," said Mr Simon Sentumbwe, whose name was missing in the voter’s register at Bunga Hill Primary School in Makinye East. He said he was asked to try his luck at another poling station, where he was also turned away.

Security was tight in the capital with armed soldiers and police deployed at strategic areas. Police formed a cordon around the walls of Mandela National Stadium, where tallying was scheduled to take place later in the evening. It was the same at the electoral commission offices, amidst claims by the Museveni’s main challenger Dr Kizza Besigye, that the government was intimidating voters by deploying armed personnel. At Parking Yard Polling station in Nakawa division constituency, The Standard on Saturday crew found voters dipping their ballots into boxes without lids.

At one point, electoral staff dashed to collect marked ballots after they were blown off transparent plastic boxes.

No ballot boxes

They had to improvise lids from old cartoons fastened with cello tape.

"We have no other option. We have to do what we can because they did not bring lids," an official who requested anonymity said.

It was the same at several other stations around the capital, including Ggaba Secondary School in Makindye East constituency where The Standard on Saturday visited.

Security of ballots and ballot boxes is a core requirement in a fair and free election. The casual way in which the boxes, which are required to be tamper proof, was being handled raised doubts about the fairness of the exercise. Opposition figures led by Bisigye have claimed Museveni, now vying for his final term in office, planned to force his way back to power through rigging. Mr Charles Willy Ochola, spokesman for the electoral commission, said the matter would be investigated.

"It is a serious accusation and we are going to follow up. It’s an isolated case and may be a lack of seriousness by the people in charge," he said during an interview.

Ochola said the delay was caused by a major ‘traffic jam’ at the warehouse where the voting materials were stored.

He said the commission had hired tens of boda bodas to collect materials and ferry them to polling centres. This partly contributed to the traffic snarl-up.

"It is something we had not anticipated," Ochola said.

Earlier, 11 civil society organisations had warned of irregularities, especially multiple registration of voters.

They blamed the government of failing to stop about a dozen illegal militia groups that have sprouted in recent months and could be used to cause violence.

"There is notable intolerance of the political actors and supporters on all sides," the groups said.

Standing on the platform of transparency, Bisigye has warned he would announce parallel results after his team’s tallies. He is vying on the Interparty Cooperation ticket, which is a coalition of the Forum for Democratic Change, Justice Forum, the Conservative Party and the Social Democratic Party.

The election is seen as the most serious challenge so far for Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. Besigye’s warning has raised tensions. The electoral commission said no organisation or person was authorised to release results except itself. Kampala remained calm although streets were mainly deserted. This was mainly attributed to the fact that the voting day had been declared a national holiday.

The executive director of The East and Horn of Africa Human Rights Defenders Network, Hassan Shire Sheikh, said the delays were unnecessary. He confirmed reports of boxes without lids.

"Some of it was negligence by those tasked with doing the job," he said. The network is observing the elections.