Counting of votes is underway in the Jinja East Parliamentary by election.
But police sources say the voting exercise was characterized by violence and allegations of voter bribery.
Unknown people driving Nathan Igeme Nabeta’s car, a Toyota Hiace registration number UAN 195T were reportedly found giving out money, soap and sugar on Wednesday night in Walukuba – Masese division. Nabeta is one of the candidates in the race.
Meddy Mbentyo, one of the voters says police looked on until opposition voters smashed the car before it was towed away to Jinja central police station.
Jonathan Musinguzi, Jinja district police commander says the car was towed to police in the night from Walukuba and the exhibits are being held at Jinja central police station pending further police investigations.
He says this was the sixth case of violence in the Jinja east by elections.
But Faisal Mayemba, a political assistant to Igeme Nabeta, said the car was attacked by unknown people in Walukuba at 5am while on its way to Kampala.
Police sources say 17 people are being held at Jinja central police station for various election offenses.
12 people were involved in election violence and five others are suspected to have been giving out money to lure voters to vote for different candidates.
Samson Lubega, the south eastern regional police spokesperson says eight files have been sanctioned by Jinja High Court for hearing.
\\\\ Cue in “but as per now…”
Cue out “…to detain them.”//
Lubega says Walukuba and Masese are the areas that registered most chaos in the constituency.
In Masese Kilembe, police cordoned off Nathan Igeme Nabeta’s house after a mob wanted to burn it down and at Main Street primary school, police had to use teargas, after some people wanted to forcefully get into the school and disorganise the electoral process.
Lubega says the violence has resulted from candidates allegedly ferrying people from outside Jinja east constituency to vote.
One of the victims of election violence was beaten at mid day along Kutch road, after suspects identified him as one of Nabeta’s workers. Fred Sooka, a sales executive with Nile Broadcasting Services owned by Nabeta, says he was mobbed by a gang of unknown people as he walked towards Jinja Taxi Park.
Rose Namdhego, a resident of Main Street was also attacked by unknown people who looted her domestic utensils before police arrived to rescue her.
Flavia Mujulizi, Jinja district returning officer says no other incidents were reported in the by election apart from voters’ names missing on the registers and those who are registered more than once.
Five candidates are vying for the seat which fell vacant when court nullified Nabeta’s election last year. NRM’s Nabeta is fighting to reclaim the seat but faces competition from Paul Mwiru, a member of the Forum for Democratic Change party. The other candidates are Alex Mufumbiro of the Democratic Party, Ritchie Oyo Osinde of the Uganda Peoples Congress and Cranmer Dhikusooka, an independent candidate.
