OPPOSITION CHIEFS CALL FOR A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION

Opposition chiefs yesterday poked the conscience of Ugandans by calling for “peaceful protests” against President Museveni’s “illegitimate” government. Their rallying call: Mr Museveni’s claim to victory with 68 per cent of the presidential ballot should be rejected because “the electoral process has been a sham”.

“We categorically reject the results of this scandalous process and will not recognise any government formed out of these elections,” Mr Kizza Besigye, Mr Olara Otunnu, Mr Norbert Mao and Mr Samuel Lubega declared at a joint press conference.

Voilence after election result delays.

In Jinja District, Pauline Kairu reports that teargas and bullets in the air have brought business in Jinja town to a standstill following the arrest of Uganda People’s Congress LC V candidate, Robert Kanusu.

Mr Kanusu, the press secretary for UPC president Olara Otunnu was arrested at around 10:45 am at the district tally centre after police was called in by Electoral Commission officials.
Mr Kanusu is alleging that the Returning Officer, Ms Flavia Mujulisi was delaying declaration of the LCV results deliberately in order to rig in favour of the National Resistance Movement Candidate, Fredrick Ngobi Gume.
His arrest sparked off a scuffle between the police and Mr Kanusu’s supporters. He was later taken to Jinja’s Central Police Station.
When his supporters stormed Jinja CPS, this prompted the army to surround the police station premises, before the police started shooting in the air and scattering people using teargas canisters.

cfr: http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/-/859108/1114002/-/k32h9s/-/index.html

Bomb Scare at Watoto Church Building-Kampala Uganda

KAMPALA, UGANDA - We have just become aware of a suspicious package next to Watoto Church building on Kampala road and are currently looking into it.

The Police bomb squad is in the building and carrying out the necessary investigation. We will release information about this incident as soon as we can.

In the meantime, we will be using our website www.watoto.com and www.watotochurch.com to provide updated information.

For emergency inquiries in Uganda, please make use of the following contacts:

1) General Enquiries: Tel +256-776-260008, eMail: uganda@watoto.com

http://www.watotochurch.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=172

Campaigning on polling day, poster not removed

Most polling station in fort portal- Kabarole had the campaigning posters near the polling stations. when interviewed, presinding officer seem not to know that these poster should have been removed.

Direct campaigning was also reported in some places. On polling day at Muchwa polling station, NRM supporter campaigned using his vehicle and he parked at Jovena petrol station with posters of the incumbent president. At Bukwali Primary School,the Candidate Rubogoya came with supporters at the polling station campaigning causing chaos and the constable was able to handle the incident. At Ntoroko Mosque (B) Polling station Mr.Kahuma Deo and PAUL Ategeka Chairperson Ntoroko Central tried to campaign at the polling station. At Bundingoma primary school Bundibugyo district one candidate by the names of Muhamudu Ntungwa was campaigning on voting day.

voting going on well in Gulu, calm and Cordial

All polling stations observed, the ambiance was always very calm, cordial and ordered. No attempt to influence, modify nor impeach the citizens’ intention of vote was observed. No presence of police nor army personnel was observed. Presiding officers were always cooperative and did never obstruct the work of the Election observers;
The biggest problem noticed originated from the big confusion surrounding the voter registers. In most of the polling stations visited, especially in urban areas, several dozens of voter could not cast their vote because their names were not found in the voter register even though they would carry their voter cards or a receipts issued by the electoral commission. It seems that many changes in the voters’ repartition among newly created polling stations in Gulu municipality have blurred many voters. Many citizens expressed their frustration to CEEDU/CEW-IT observers. Many voters ran from one polling station to another to find their names, many without success.

Voting using the name of another

A ‘vote in lieu of’ (someone voting using the name of another) was witnessed at Gulu Town Primary School A polling station, Gulu municipality, Gulu district.The presiding officers were hardly checking the fingers of the citizens presenting themselves to vote. At the end of the voting process, though, the polling assistants seemed to be always marking the fingers of the voter; but the finger marked was varying from one polling station to another.

As reported by GD
International observer

Women with babies on line for long time

At Oluko BAT Centre B polling station
Women with babies and pregnant women stayed for so long in lines.

Voting materials blown by wind at Oli Health Centres B

Voting materials blown by wind.
Sometimes wind could blow everything, the polling assistant is following the basin




Oli Health Centre B POLLING STATION Mr.Ibra Talib (Presiding Officer) “We were told to leave the ballot boxes open during the voting, they will be closed at the end of voting time at 5:00 hrs”. This was at 1:24 pm.

Oli Health Centre A

Missing names ( Rehema Candiru with ID No. 05500730) moved into 4 poling stations but could not find her name. Sited and despaired.

Betty 'Minnie Mouse' Kamya unites the crowd

Vote counting in Kampala. The atmosphere is tense, Besigye supporters are making noise every time they feel the insecure officials do not really know what they are doing. Police is watching the citizens suspiciously from close by.

From the crowd, people volunteer to represent the presidential candidates. Every ballot-paper that is a vote for Museveni, is given to a middle age man representing the president, every vote for Besigye to the younger guy representing his main challenger. A lady with a Minnie Mouse t-shirt happily volunteers to represent Betty Kamya.

The more votes are counted, the tenser the atmosphere gets. Museveni and Besigye are neck and neck, the other candidates hardly receive any votes. When a man watching from among the civilians loudly utters his disagreement, he is simple pushed out violently by the others.

Then Betty 'Minnie Mouse' Kamya finally receives a ballot-paper representing the first vote for the single female candidate in these presidential elections. As 'Betty' triumphantly holds high the ballot-paper, the whole crowd cheers and laughs as one. For one precious moment, the tension has disappeared.

Central Market A polling station in Arua next to Roasted Meat vendors

The secrecy of vote was not entirely guaranteed due to the nature of the polling station location and the ‘booth’, a simple basin. While observeers has not noticed any polling agents or party agents attempting to look over the vote marking or to influence the vote of a voter, it appears that the basin is not sufficiently protecting the secrecy of the vote, as it is possibly easy for anyone to estimate even from far at which place the voter is marking the vertically shaped ballot paper. In some cases, a polling agent was sitting not far enough from the basin.


“We are sorry, thank you for reminding us.” This was at 12:38 PM

Electoral procudures for Pregnant Women not Respected

Observers remind the presiding officer to allow pregnant women and those with babies to be given priorities of voting first.

Army on Arua streets, Arrests 5 people.

Ensuring security before and after voting?


An international observer witnessed the arrest of five citizens in front of Pece Stadium Polling Station A1-B, Gulu municipality, Gulu district at around 1 pm. The arrested citizens were holding party symbols (badges with photographs of candidates), according to witnesses. They seem to be all ‘supporting’ opposition political parties. Other witnesses informed the observers that several citizens had been seen standing in front of another polling station of Gulu municipality with party symbols during a short time.

Party symbols at polling station in Aura, ballot Boxes not sealed

NRM chairs used at polling stations in Breach of party symbols and colors principle.









some polling station had ballot boxes not sealed and yet voting going. Over 6 Polling station visited in Arua Municipality had ballot boxes not sealed, partially sealed or loosely sealed . In Gulu, 11 polling stations out of 26 visited by our observers had not properly sealed their ballot boxes (in one polling station visited by a colleague, one ballot box even lacked its cover!). Many presiding officers and polling agents seemed not aware of the necessity to properly seal the ballot boxes..

Vote counting in Arua

Vote counting went on well in West Nile region as the required procedures were followed by the EC officials and the voters knew their roles and responsibilities. the supporters had sense of togetherness and would chair their candidates and jubilation was not yet high.

Low level of civic conciousness among the voters in the villages

The low level of civic consciousness among the voters has made the presiding officers to do much to get rid of invalid votes. on the polling day across West Nile.

Kampala City Calm as Voting Starts

Kampala City is calm today as Uganda votes.

The usual hustle and bustle of the city is gone as people choose to either stay at home or to slowly walk to polling stations. Despite the lack of activity, the police are taking no chances. They have deployed heavily throughout the city, deploying hundreds of motorized and foot patrols.

Regional police commanders in Wandegeya, Old Kampala, Kiira Road and Central Police Station all report that no election-related incidences have been made known to them. However they anticipate a busy day ahead as the number of people at the polling stations grows.

The Jinja Road police commander, Dennis Kamugisha, says he is preparing for a peaceful election day. He repeats a call by the Inspector General of Police for people not to panic, but to expect the vote to be free and fair.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of police officers waited for transport Outside Jinja Road and other stations in the city. They appeared to be stranded, unaware of how they would leave their bases for the rest of Kampala.

Gerald Twishime, the Wandegeya Police Station commander, insists that there is no transport problem. He says the problem was in the scheduling of trucks to transport his officers. He says that by 7:00 a.m., most of them had already left for duty.

Public transport throughout the city is minimal. Most taxis and boda boda operators have chosen to stay away in anticipation of violence later in the day.

Slow Start for Ugandan Elections

Polls have opened across Uganda, but Uganda Radio Network reporters say that anxiety is building up, because Voting failed to begin as scheduled in much of the country.

Delayed deliveries of election paraphernalia in certain parts of the country have been reported. In Masaka, Many polling stations were not yet ready for the voters by 7:00am.

Market Cell, one of the biggest polling stations in Masaka was still messy by 7:00am. The polling station was not yet cordoned off, there was no ink and the polling agents were also absent.

In Kabale, voters cued up by 6:00am, but by 7:00am, polling officers were still fidgeting trying to get furniture and the voting materials in place.

There were delays at many polling stations in Fort-Portal Municipality, with the late arrival of election materials or officials, despite lines of people waiting to vote.

Polling delays have also been reported in Fort-portal Municipality. In all the 40 polling stations visited this morning, there was a steady flow of voters at the polling stations by 7:00am, but the polls were not opened.

Doreen Kemigisha, a polling assistant at Nyaburara A polling station says that she was still trying to get in touch with the district Registra.

The situation remained calm in fort-portal.

In Gulu, some voting materials were still being ferried on bicycles to some polling centers.

Long voting delays are also being reported in Mbale, Butaleja and Manafwa, despite the excellent weather that accompanied many voters to their polling stations.

The voters there were disappointed that with just 15 minutes to 8:00am, many had not yet cast their votes.

In Kampala, the story has not been different either. Activity at polling station in Kawempe delayed and polling officers appeared confused about the process.

Duncan Nkoyoyo, a polling officer at Kawempe two parish, says the delays in opening the polls was due to lack of parish supervisors. the Pars has only one supervisor monitoring the distribution of voting materials.

Tension in Ibanda North as Voters go to Polls

Tension is mounting high in Ibanda North, as voters turn up at the polling station this morning.

Many Voters are wearing sad faces, following the gruesome murder of one of their own. The mood is somber and some polling stations are tense filled.

The tense atmosphere was triggered off by the death of Moses Ainebyona, a campaign agent for Xavier Kyoma, a contender for the Ibanda North Parliamentary seat.

Captain Gumma Gumisiriza, the IBanda North parliamentary candidate has been arrested for alleged murder.

Gumiriza standing as an independent candidate is jointly accused with four others- Musasizi Esaho chairperson LC3 Ishomgororo town council, Mwesigye Kabaka, Byakatunda Alex, Apollo Perez.

Patrick Otika, the regional police commander, says Guma Gumisiriza and his accomplices are allegedly responsible for the murder of Moses Ainebyoona, who has been a campaign agent for Gumisiriza’s rival, Xavier Kyoma.

The murder incident occurred in Ishongororo trading center on Thursday, when Guma’s supporters blocked the vehicle of the deceased, and beat him up to death.

Sheik Amudan Kayongo, who was traveling with Ainebyona, was also beaten into comma.

Preliminary reports show that a double cabin pick up, registration number UAE
616N and Toyota registration number UAJ 829R were used to pursue Ainebyona with intent of harm.

Ainebyona has been the Chief campaigner of the NRM parliamentary flag bearer for Ibanda north Kyooma Xavier Akampurira who defeated Guma Gumisiriza in the NRM primaries.

Gumisiriza was last evening transferred from Ishongororo police station in Ibanda to Mbarara central police station.

Richard Ecega, the district police commander, says security in Ibanda North has been stepped up to control a possible outbreak of violence.
Yesterday evening, angry voters raided the Gumisiriza’s home and destroyed widow glasses. They were however restrained from causing further damage by the anti riot police.

EU Observers Promise Candid Report on Elections

The chief European Union election observer in Uganda, Edward Scicluna, says he is satisfied with the voting occurring in Kampala Central Division this morning.

Scicluna and his team started their work today with a visit to a polling station at the National Public Library on Buganda Road.

A crowd of about 20 people had gathered at the polling station by 7a.m. They appeared eager to cast their votes early in order to get on with the rest of the business of the day.

The Kampala District election coordinator, Vincent Wamboka, was on the site to ensure that all voting materials arrived on time and that the polling agents from the different political parties had all they needed to ensure peaceful elections.

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The polling assistants opened the ballot boxes in the presence of all gathered to confirm that they were empty on arrival. They also allowed the early voters to witness the sealing of ballot boxes and granted access of political party agents to the voters’ register.

Edward Scicluna explained that the role of the European Union election monitors is important in ensuring the credibility of Uganda’s polls around the world. He said the observers would be stationed throughout the country for the entire duration of the election and would not leave until the final results are announced.

Scicluna promised that the observers would keenly take note of all activity around the country to provide a truthful perspective of the bote.

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People standing in line had mixed opinions about the outcome of the presidential and parliamentary campaign season. However, they were unanimous on their duty, as Ugandans, to participate in the election of their national leaders.

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Polling ends at 5 p.m.