KISORO, UGANDA – The integrity of local council elections in Kisoro District has been thrown into doubt following the arrest of four polling officials and a voter over allegations of systematic vote rigging and ballot stuffing.
Thank you for reading this post, don't forget to subscribe!The incidents, which occurred at separate polling stations, have cast a shadow over the electoral process and prompted calls for legal action and a review of the results.
The first incident unfolded at Gihora Polling Station, where alert residents grew suspicious of a voter, Hakizimana Edison, who was lingering unusually long in a booth. Upon intervention, he was found in possession of ten pre-ticked ballot papers.
A breakdown revealed seven ballots marked for Sanvura Richard, the NRM flag bearer for Nyakinama Sub-county LC5 councillor, one for Nyiramahoro Flavia, a women’s councillor contestant, and two untouched ballots.
Under interrogation, Hakizimana Edison’s statement directly implicated the presiding officer, Tuyisenge Collins, who was subsequently arrested for allegedly supplying the pre-ticked ballots.
At Kagundu Polling Station, chaos erupted when voters discovered their names had already been ticked in the register. The scheme egregiously targeted individuals known to be absent, some as far away as Kampala.
Presiding officer Kabira Samuel (26) and polling assistant Bahati Emmanuel (25) were apprehended after police on patrol quelled the ensuing chaos.
Upon the advice of the Kisoro Electoral Commission office, voting was immediately halted at the station. A transparent plastic ballot box alongside a metallic black box were recovered as key exhibits.
The incumbent LC5 councillor for the affected area, Ndayisaba Emmanuel, who is contesting as an independent, praised the citizens’ vigilance.
He asserted his intent to take the matter to court, claiming he has sufficient evidence, and declared any results released by the Returning Officer as fundamentally compromised.
The Kigezi Police spokesperson, ASP Elly Maate, confirmed the four arrests across the two incidents and assured the public of a thorough investigation.
The integrity of the grassroots electoral process is now under serious scrutiny, with the Electoral Commission expected to issue a formal statement as police investigations continue.
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