More than 30 parish and sub county election supervisors in the just concluded Luweero Woman MP by-election have besieged the district returning officer demanding for their unpaid allowances. The angry officials stormed the office of Luweero District Returning Officer this morning demanding for shillings 520,000 each they worked for during the by-elections.
Mutumba Kayiwa, one of the disgruntled officials says that they performed their duties diligently and Electoral Commission promised to pay them before the end of December 2011 but nothing has been done. He faults Electoral Commission for refusing to give appointment letters saying this could have been a ploy to swindle their money since they lack evidence to show they worked for the commission.
Robert Mwogezi, another official says that all their colleagues including polling and presiding officials were paid and does not know why the commission has not paid them. Mwogezi says that he had budgeted money to clear fees for his children but his children are stranded at home because of the electoral commission’s failure to pay them. Charles Ntege, Luweero Returning Officer drew the anger of the supervisor when he said that they will be paid shillings 260,000 instead of 520,000 because they worked for a month.
Ntege says that Electoral Commission is in the process or releasing the money but didn’t give any specific dates. However, his pronouncement didn’t go down well with the supervisors who gave him an ultimatum of one week to deposit two months’ salary into their accounts or else brace up for a huge demonstration.
Ntege told URN that the money delayed as a result of errors that were committed during the filling of the Electoral Commission payment forms. He also admitted that EC failed to process the appointment letters for the officials adding that they had no intention to swindle their funds.
