Lwengo District Returning Officer Martin Musoke has been removed ahead of Bukoto South parliamentary by-elections.
Dr Badru Kiggundu, the Electoral Commission Chairperson, announced Musoke’s removal on Wednesday morning while meeting candidates and their supporters at Kinoni Community Hall to chat a way for a peaceful by election slated for July 12th.
Several candidates led by Mathias Nsubuga and his supporters accused Musoke of mismanaging the previous polls. Nsubuga, the Democratic Party Secretary General, claimed that Musoke connived with NRM supporters led by Bulu Mulalo to arrest his supporters and this denied them a chance to win the 2011 elections.
Nsubuga also said since Musoke is a resident of Bukoto South constituency, he could not fairly and freely organize the by-elections.
Some of the candidates accused Musoke of allowing polls to go on past 5pm with the aim of rigging for disqualified NRM candidate Muhammad Muyanja Mbabaali, whose victory was nullified by court on grounds of electoral malpractices and lack of requisite academic papers.
Reverend Father John Kennedy Kinsambwe tasked Kiggundu to punish Musoke for mismanaging the previous polls. He claimed that the February 2011 parliamentary election was massively mismanaged with several polling stations opening polls after 8am.
Kiggundu announced Musoke’s removal from the district and replaced him with Aryaija Gracious. The EC chairperson said Musoke would be deployed elsewhere.
Kiggundu has also warned candidates against violence, hooliganism and smear campaign saying if they have any issues, they should report them to police.
Musoke denied Nsubuga’s allegations but noted that he has no problem with his transfer. He admitted that he is a resident of Bukoto South but denied involvement in previous election malpractices.
Musoke, who was given a chance to explain involvement in election-related forgery, said if Bulu Mulaalo, an NRM supporter arrested Nsubuga’s supporters, he did it as an individual but not on orders of electoral commission.
