The Electoral Commission said all was set to deliver a free and fair exercise as voters in the island district of Kalangala go to the polls this Wednesday to pick their next Woman Member of Parliament.
According to EC spokesperson Julius Muchunguzi, polling stations will be open by 7am in accordance with the law and close at 4pm.
Although EC expressed readiness, complaints emerged from both agents of the National Unity Platform (NUP) flag bearer and independent candidates about the integrity of electoral materials after some 17 black ballot boxes containing ballot papers and Declaration of Results forms arrived with varying serial numbers.
EC Chairperson Simon Byabakama, who is pitching camp in Kalangala, said the questionable boxes were to be unsealed in the presence of all stakeholders to ascertain what is inside.
‘We all know that the voters have a right to vote their candidate of choice and candidates have voters in these affected polling stations. So, as EC, we are going to open those boxes in the presence of the agents of candidates and security to ascertain what is inside,’ he said
The exercise of unsealing the boxes was about to kick off by press time.
Five candidates are vying for the seat.
These include: opposition National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate Irene Nampala, National Resistance Movement (NRM) flagbearer Aidah Nabayiga, and independents Hellen Flavia Nagawa, Babirye Sharifa Kaala and Susan Nasuuna.
The race features complex internal party dynamics.
Ms Kaala is known to be NUP-leaning, but chose to run on an independent ticket after the party card went to Nampala.
Similarly, Ms Nagawa is an NRM -leaning independent who chose to stand after losing to Nabayiga in the party’s primary elections.
The seat fell vacant following the death of Hellen Nakimuli, who had just won a second term on the NUP ticket.
The candidates have drawn distinct battle lines, focusing on health, infrastructure, and the island’s delicate fishing economy.
Stiff competition is between Nampala, who seeks to replace her deceased sister [Nakimuli] and Nabayiga, who lost the seat in 2021.
Throughout the 10-day campaign period, Nampala has promised to carry forward the torch of her late sibling.
She emphasised operationalising new fisheries regulations, ensuring a consistent supply of medicines in health facilities, and empowering women through organised economic groups.
On her part, Nabayiga has pledged to continue development projects initiated during her previous term as area woman MP (2016-2021).
‘During my tenure, I initiated several projects. The late Helen Nakimuli built on that work, and I am committed to continuing from where she stopped.’
She also pledges to lobby the central government to elevate Kalangala Health Centre IV to a fully-fledged general hospital-a promise which has remained unfilled for over a decade.
‘Kalangala needs a district hospital so that our people do not continue spending a lot of money seeking treatment on the mainland,’ she noted.
Nagawa said she will prioritise fighting teenage pregnancies, rampant school dropouts and inadequate public services.
She argued that some time back Kalangala had all leaders subscribing to NRM, but service delivery remained wanting, urging voters to test the leadership of an independent -minded candidate.
‘There was a time when Kalangala had all MPs subscribing to NRM, but little we achieved; party colours help individuals, not ordinary voters,’ she said
Ms Kaala has pledged to focus on revitalising the district’s agriculture, tourism and fishing sectors that form the backbone of Kalangala’s economy.
‘Kalangala people are hardworking, but many have been chased away from landing sites, which has exacerbated poverty in the islands; all those people need assistance to rebuild their lives,’
Nassuna, who used a megaphone as her campaign symbol, said she was inspired by Nakimuli to vie for the seat.
‘She[Nakimuli] was an exceptional leader and a person like me who learnt a lot from her; I am better positioned to replace her,’ she said
On Monday, President Museveni, who also doubles as NRM national chairperson, spent the better part of the day campaigning for Nabayiga, urging islanders to rally behind her.
During a final campaign rally at Kibanga Primary School playgrounds, Museveni said Nabayiga, being NRM, will be close to him and service delivery will improve.
‘Whatever you have said, I have heard, but it seems there is a problem; you voted for the opposition. I have never talked to any opposition leader from here,’ he said.
‘We have been trying to help with the issues but have had no clear leadership here. Now that NRM is here and Jajja is here, let us organise ourselves and send Nabayiga to Parliament,’ President Museveni said.
On the other hand, he unveiled a wide-ranging government plan to improve transport, electricity, education, health and production in the Ssese Islands.
President Museveni also noted that the government had progressively responded to long-standing challenges affecting island communities, especially transport infrastructure.
He said the government had already addressed key transport challenges, particularly the Masaka-Bukakkata road and the ferry system serving the islands.
In a telephone call to islanders transmitted through a public address system, the NUP President Robert Kyagulanyi, currently in self-imposed exile in the US, urged voters to stick to the party flagbearer, insisting that the one (Hellen Nakimuli) whose mandate they had extended for another five years died.
‘We console Kalangala people for losing a brave fighter [Nakimuli] even before she took her oath to serve you in the 12th Parliament, so please use this chance to choose Nampala as a replacement to fulfil all that Nakimuli left in the pipeline,’ he said
Over the years, the way fishing regulations are being enforced has increasingly shaped how fishing communities vote. In the previous two General Elections (2016 and 2021), the NRM did not perform well, which observers partly attributed to the highhandedness of soldiers under the Fisheries Protection Unit(FPU) – originally intended to protect the lake -who became synonymous with brutal crackdowns, arrests, torture, and destroyed livelihoods of islanders.
To contain the growing discontent among fishermen, President Museveni last December withdrew FPU commanders, dissolved fishing committees and replaced them with representatives of indigenous fishermen and investors. All these activities are being overseen by the Deputy Chief of Defence Forces and Inspector General (DCDF/IG), Lt Gen Sam Okiding, and the Chief of Defence Intelligence and Security (CDIS), Maj Gen Richard Otto.
FPU has also been renamed 155 Marines Battalion and placed under the command and administration of the UPDF Marines Brigade.
During the recently concluded General Election, NRM managed to win back Bujumba and Kyamuswa County parliamentary seats, recaptured the LC5 chairperson position and increased its representation on the district council from 13 councillors in 2021 to 18 out of 24 seats, strengthening its influence ahead of the forthcoming by-election.
NRM also won four out of the six sub-counties, and NUP took the remaining two. NRM also took Kalangala Town Council.
The district has 42,452 registered voters expected to cast ballots from 155 polling stations spread across 64 habitable islands.