The Electoral Commission (EC) has set February 4 as the new polling date for the election of the Butebo District LC5 chairperson and directly elected district councillors, following the suspension of the exercise over gross irregularities. The entire country was scheduled to elect LC5 chairpersons on January 22.
However, the exercise in Butebo District descended into chaos, forcing the EC to halt all district-level elections. What was expected to be a routine local government election instead spiralled into violent scenes marked by destruction of property, massive ballot stuffing and the breakdown of the electoral process.
The unprecedented decision to suspend polling raised serious concerns about the integrity of elections and political stability at the grassroots. Butebo was among the districts slated to elect local leaders on January 22, but the process degenerated into disorder across several areas.
In a January 22 statement, the EC announced the postponement of all elections in the district, including those for district chairperson, directly elected district councillors and district women councillors, citing widespread disruptions that made credible polling impossible.
EC chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama said polling materials, including ballot papers, had been tampered with, destroyed or lost during violent confrontations, undermining the exercise.
‘The Commission informs the general public that it has received reports of serious interruptions to the electoral process in Butebo, which resulted in the damage to and loss of critical electoral materials, including ballot papers,’ the statement read.
‘These incidents significantly affected the polling process in several sub-counties across the district. In view of the above, and in order to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process, the EC has taken the decision to postpone the elections for all elective positions in Butebo,’ the EC added.
The Commission later announced that a new polling date had been confirmed.
According to the EC roadmap, which designated February 4 as the polling date for local government council elections at sub-county, town council and municipal division levels nationwide, the Commission has now appointed the same date for district-level elections in Butebo.
The EC says voting would be conducted by universal adult suffrage and would take place at all polling stations across the district from 7am to 4pm. The Commission called upon all stakeholders and voters in Butebo to participate peacefully and observe electoral laws and guidelines.
‘The Commission calls upon candidates, their agents, supporters and the people of Butebo to remain calm and maintain peace,’ the EC indicates.
The Commission noted that disruptions had compromised the integrity of the election process, leaving the Commission with no option but to suspend the entire exercise until conditions allowed for a peaceful and credible vote.
The Butebo LC5 race has attracted several candidates, including Mr James Okurut (Independent), Mr Sam Keddi (NRM), Mr Isaac Kimbugwe (Independent) and Mr Yassin Lobba (FDC).
The district has 165 polling stations and about 69,000 registered voters. Mr Bulaimu Bwaliwonaki, a resident of Kabwangasi Town Council, told Daily Monitor that violence erupted after the EC delivered electoral materials that were tampered with.
‘We were surprised when we closely scrutinised the materials only to discover that they had brought fewer ballot papers, with only one declaration form instead of the eight required,’ he said.
‘People began raising concerns across the entire district, with reports of some polling stations receiving pre-ticked ballot papers. This sparked widespread protests,’ Mr Bwaliwonaki added.
He cited areas including Kanyum, Kachulu, Kanginima, Butebo Town Council, Kashebai, Kiruluma, Obokora and Odipanya, where candidates’ agents were allegedly chased away.
Ms Beatrice Agudo, a candidate for district councillor representing Butebo Town Council and Kabilai, said her agents were severely beaten, with some admitted to health facilities.
‘We intercepted a box full of pre-ticked ballot papers, yet the materials delivered earlier already had anomalies, including fewer declaration forms and ballot papers,’ Ms Agudo said.
She added that her counterpart, Mr Edward Ojulu, who was contesting for district councillor representing Butebo Sub-county, was also beaten and was receiving treatment at Pallisa Hospital. We were unable to verify this by press time. Ms Agudo also cited an incident in Kashebai A and B, where a presiding officer allegedly issued five ballot papers to a single voter, triggering serious confrontation.
‘At Odipanya Polling Station, officials attempted to replace a box containing pre-ticked ballot papers with the one initially delivered,’ she said
‘This was broad daylight theft of the people’s decision. The EC’s decision to postpone the elections was therefore welcome.’ She criticised the slow response by security agencies despite reports being made to the EC in Butebo.
Another voter, Mr Abubakar Namunyi, also expressed disappointment, describing the exercise as marred by ballot stuffing, violence and destruction of voting materials.
‘The chaos in Butebo is being engineered by some prominent individuals in the district, but we shall not allow a few people to decide on behalf of the people of Butebo,’ Mr Namunyi said.
He alleged that some polling officials had been compromised and were found with pre-ticked ballot papers. At the EC offices in Butebo, heavy security deployment was observed as police and the army patrolled hotspots to prevent further violence. Senior police officers from the region held a nearly four-hour meeting with candidates after calls to suspend the exercise intensified.
Aspirants speak
Mr Keddi said the irregularities were unacceptable. ‘The exercise was marred by massive rigging even before polling day. A large number of ballot papers were impounded, already pre-ticked,’ Mr Keddi said.
He said the EC’s suspension decision, though drastic, was necessary to protect the credibility of the process.
‘The chaos we are witnessing is being caused by high-profile individuals pursuing personal interests. Right from the NRM primaries, I have faced such challenges,’ he said.
Mr Okurut said he was disappointed by the suspension, citing the financial burden.
‘The EC’s decision to suspend the elections completely disorganise us. Running as an Independent candidate is costly, and the resources we have committed are substantial.’