Uganda: Heavy military deployed ahead of vote counting

18 February 2011

By Ephraim Kasozi

Military Police personnel were this afternoon deployed in Mityana Town ahead of vote counting. The soldiers, who were ferried in three full trucks, arrived in the township in the afternoon. Witnesses say that the military police trucks headed to Mityana Police Station upon their arrival.

Mityana DPC Alfred Bangambaki, however, declined to comment on the presence of the soldiers in the area, saying he was in villages and was not aware of the new entrants. He said the exercise was peaceful and there were no reports of violence nor arrests. “We have had minor issues in Sekanyonyi and Namungo Sub-counties where some voters’ names were found in registers of a neighbouring sub-county but it is a mistake by the Electoral Commission (EC). We have called the District Registrar to guide in order to rectify the anomaly,” Mr Bangambaki told Daily Monitor.

Many people braved scotching sun and long distances from one polling centre to another looking for their names in vain. “I have been a voter in this area since 2001 but I am surprised to find my name missing even after checking my names during the exercise,” said Joseph Kiberu of Busujju Constituency.

Rain also disrupted voting in Manyi Sub-county. It fell for about one hour. District Registrar Peninna Nuwagaba said the voting exercise was going on well. “The issue of missing names is largely a result of those who did not turn up to check their names on register. You find that many of the complaints come from people who cannot tell their polling stations. Now how can you help that person to locate their right areas?” she wondered.