Richard Gulume Balyainho, the Butaleja resident district commissioner was on Thursday night arrested for what police called election fraud during the Jinja East Parliamentary by election.
Gulume, was arrested and detained at Jinja central police station after he was found with pre ticked ballot papers in Masese I village in Walukuba – Masese division.
Gulume was found with more than 100 pre-ticked ballot papers in the names of Nathan Igeme Nabeta, a National Resistance Movement candidate who lost the race to FDC’s Paul Mwiru. Jinja district returning officer, Flavia Mujulizi declared Mwiru winner at around 9:30pm on Thursday. The Forum for Democratic Change party candidate polled 7758 votes against 6057 votes for Nabeta, the National Resistance Movement candidate.
According to the Electoral Commission, 14302 voters were registered to vote in the bye election and out of these 14150 turned up to vote. At least 152 votes were recorded as invalid.
Other candidates in the race included DP’s Alex Waiswa Mufumbiro who polled 291 votes, Cranimer Dhikusooka (Independent) with 28 votes and UPC’s Richie Oyo Osinde who trailed with 16 votes.
Major General Mugisha Muntu, the FDC secretary for mobilisation who got him ready handed after he had arrived with the ballots in a ballot box, told journalists that he tracked the RDC from a house located in Masese II village.
The RDC was taken to Jinja central police station. Jonathan Musinguzi, Jinja district police commander confirmed the arrest but said police is still investigating.
Nandala Mafabi, the leader of government business who witnessed the arrest, said Gulume tried to resist but he had the ballot box in his hands and could not throw it away.
But Faisal Mayemba, Nabeta’s political assistant, however, denied the ballot papers were sent by his candidate’s camp.
The bye election folled December 16th Court of Appeal ruling on the case filed by Mwiru in which Nabeta’s election was nullified on grounds of lack of minimum academic qualifications, and voter bribery.
