Tempers flared in Masaka today when the NRM probe committee investigating the flawed primary elections, convened a meeting with disgruntled party supporters.
The probe committee led by Moses Kigongo, the NRM vice chairperson met hundreds of party supporters at Masaka secondary school. The disgruntled party members included party flag bearers, primary election losers and opinion leaders.
However, the meeting turned rowdy when losers started demanding the immediate arrest of all NRM party officials accused of their involvement in electoral malpractice. Vincent Ssempijja, the Masaka LC5 chairman who lost to Umar Mawiya as flag bearer for Kalungu East demanded that all Kalungu District NRM Electoral Commission officials be handed over to the police.
Ssempijja particularly asked Kigongo to order for the immediate detention of Lusse Kaweesi, the Kalungu NRM registrar and his team for their involvement in the twisting of votes in favor of Lule Mawiya. Gertrude Nakabira, who lost the race for Lwengo district woman MP joined Ssempija and supporting his demand to arrest the electoral commission officials.
Nakabira claimed that she defeated her rival with more than 4000 votes but she was shocked to hear Umar Ssemweezi, the Lwengo district NRM returning officer declaring her rival elected. Nakabira wants Ssemweezi arrested and prosecuted for poll malpractice.
// Cue in: "We were four....."
Cue out: "....the third one."//
Winnie Musisi, who lost to Water and Environment Minister, Maria Mutagamba, assured Kigongo that she will contest as independent unless the poll results are nullified. Musisi told the Kigongo committee that Mutagamba used the Rakai district NRM electoral commission officials to stuff votes in the ballot boxes.
She argued that it was very queer for Mutagamba to get over 90000 votes against her 15000 votes which votes exceed the total number of voters.
// Cue in: "Where Madam Mutagamba...."
Cue out: "...just behind the office."//
But Harriet Nakigoye, the Rakai NRM registrar dismissed the allegations against her as bogus. Nakigoye said that those accusing them of vote rigging scored miserably.
Speaking after listening to all testimonies, Kigongo accused all NRM candidates of their involvement in vote rigging. Kigongo said that after listening to the testimonies of most of the candidates he was left with no option but to conclude that all candidates were involved in electoral malpractices.
Kigongo assured the aggrieved members that justice will prevail. He said that his committee would compile a report and would to prosecute whoever is implicated in electoral fraud.
