The Leader of Opposition in Parliament, Joel Ssenyonyi, on Wednesday accused authorities of blocking him from travelling to Kalangala District to oversee his party’s activities during a Woman MP by-election, after ferries he boarded reportedly failed to complete the journey.
Mr Ssenyonyi said he had travelled to Bukakata Landing Site in Masaka intending to cross to Kalangala and support the campaign team of National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Irene Nampala.
According to the opposition leader, he spent hours waiting aboard a ferry that failed to depart after what he described as instructions barring his travel to the island district.
‘I’m told there’s been an instruction not to set off because there is no clearance yet for me to proceed to Kalangala, where I’m meant to be one of the supervisors for our candidate Irene Nampala’s team in the by-election,’ Mr Ssenyonyi said on his social media platforms.
He also alleged that his team had received reports of voter bribery and ballot-stuffing at various polling stations, although he did not provide evidence to support the claims.
Mr Ssenyonyi said a second ferry later departed but was ordered to turn back while midway across Lake Victoria.
‘Apparently, the ferries will not move to Kalangala for as long as I’m on board. All other travellers have been stuck since morning,’ he said.
He said he eventually disembarked and returned to Masaka to avoid further inconveniencing other passengers travelling to the islands.
The by-election is being held to replace former Kalangala District Woman MP Hellen Nakimuli, who died in April.
Responding to concerns raised by opposition leaders, Electoral Commission spokesperson Mr Julius Mucunguzi said polling was proceeding peacefully across the district.
‘Everything is calm, and the voting is underway, and as peacefully as you can think. We hope that the situation will remain the way it is, and we urge the various stakeholders to maintain peace during the entire exercise,’ Mr Mucunguzi said.
Five candidates are contesting the seat, including NUP’s Irene Nampala, National Resistance Movement flag bearer Aidah Nabayiga and three independent candidates.
The circumstances surrounding the ferry disruptions were not immediately clear, and authorities had not commented directly on Mr Ssenyonyi’s allegations by press time.