The nominations for the Bugweri county Parliamentary by-election kicked off peacefully this morning without any incident of violence.
Security was stepped up ahead of the nomination to curb a possible outbreak of violence.
The nomination exercise at Busesa sub-county headquarters, unlike the previous one, attracted very few people, with most people going about their usual business in Iganga town as if nothing is happening.
Kirunda Kivedinda, the Minister for information and National guidance was nominated at ten minutes past midday but with little pomp around him.
His main rival, Abdu Katuntu, escorted by hundreds of his supporters, was nominated shortly after 1:00 o'clock.
Godfrey Sempima, the returning officer says one of the aspiring contestants; Shaban Nkutu did not turn up for the nominations. He however said that it was not clear as to why Nkutu failed to turn up.
But Nkutu who was in Kampala said that he had urgent matters to attend to but would turn up later for the Nominations.
About ten people registered for the nomination exercise which ends tomorrow. The race for the seat is however seen between the NRM party candidate, Kijrunda Kivejinja and the FDC candidate, Abdu Katuntu.
The Bugweri County parliamentary seat fell vacant after the Court of Appeals rejected a petition by the area MP, Information Minister Kirunda Kivejinja, seeking to overturn a ruling by the High Court that nullified his election in February 2006.
The Court of Appeals said there was sufficient evidence to prove that election irregularities ranging from the voter intimidation and violence to non-compliance of the electoral law had affected the outcome of the polls.
