TheMeeting between officials of electoral commission and Masaka parliamentary candidates intended to discuss campaign violence ahead of 2011 general elections has flopped.
Last week, Ephraim Tugume Mugisha, the Masaka returning officer, summoned some parliamentary candidates to appear before the disciplinary committee at Masaka Municipality council chambers along Edward Avenue on Tuesday.
Some of those candidates summoned for their alleged involvement in starring campaign violence include Speaker of Parliament, Edward Kiwanuka Ssekandi who seeks to retain his Bukoto Central parliamentary seat, and his rival DP rival Jude Mbabaali.
The Others are ICT State Minister John Alintuma Nsambu, who seeks to retain his Bukoto East seat and his rival Florence Namayanja of the Democratic Party, IPC's boxer turned politician Justine Juuko who is contesting for Bukoto East Seat.
The electoral Commission was expected to task the candidates to explain and defend themselves on allegations that they have defied parliamentary campaign guidelines which has led to a spate of violent clashes during their rallies.
According to the summons, the meeting was to start at 09am. But by 1:00am, only a handful of candidates including Meddie Lutaaya, the Masaka FDC Youth chairperson had turned up. No electoral commission official was around.
Tugume Mugisha, the Masaka Returning officer who summoned the candidates has however said he decided to cancel the meeting because they had another extra ordinary internal meeting with electoral commission officials at all levels before they meet candidates.
Tugume, explains that they have other electoral commission issues to resolve before meeting the candidates. Tugume says they have rescheduled the candidates' meeting for Wednesday. He says he has also sent apologizes to the affected candidates.
Tugume says they have also invited top Masaka police officers to listen to the candidates testimonies against them.
Steven Muwulya, one of the summon candidates has accused electoral commission of lack of focus. He has told URN reporter on phone that he was on his way coming for the meeting until he received another late communication that the meeting has been rescheduled.
Muwulya says Tugume's lack of focus is affecting his campaign program because he had cancelled today's campaigns to attend the meeting but minutes later, Tugume cancelled it.
But Tugume defends himself saying some candidates had asked him to adjust the meeting because they would not make it today.
