Tag: Busongora County South
Busongora South By-Election: A few updates on the polling day
The ones that expect free and fair elections. Well, the reports are in dark contrast of that. Everyone should anticipate a “victory” for the National Resistance Movement (NRM) flag-bearer and case-closed. Because, the military is participating and voting bribery is happening in the open.
The NRM with the help of the forever busy Prime Minister Nabbanja is giving the voters 2000 shillings to vote for her party. That’s what a government official is busy doing in the middle of the polling day. The NRM is giving away 2,000 shillings to the citizens to vote for them. Because, that is what’s called service delivery in 2022 by the “liberators” of the past.
The NRM has also ordered the soldiers to participate in voting in plain clothes and doing it several of times, if they must. That’s certainly a way of boosting the numbers. In addition to that, the armed officers did manhandle and violently attack Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) flag-bearer Kighema Alosious Baguma at his polling station today. He was also arrested as an affect of the commotion. Which happened because the candidate saw the military did go more than once to vote in plain-clothes and reported it.
It is also reported that a NBS TV Reporter was arrested during the By-Election today for covering the incident of FDC flag-bearer being beaten up. The Reporter also had to delete the footage. There are also reports of ballot-stuffing. So, all the tricks of the NRM rigging book is used.
They are pre-ticking ballots, voting bribery and violent intimidation. The perfect combo for a NRM “victory” in a by-election. The only thing missing is mass-arrests of polling agents from the opposition and the whole mixer of pre-fixed results are on schedule. This is the “democracy” that Museveni has created and is so proud of.
There is also reports of ferrying voters from Busongora North to vote in Busongora South County. So, all the tricks in the book is used. The NRM has no heart or ability to play fair. Neither is it free as the Police, Army and the Authorities are all on guard to secure the NRM Flag-Bearer get “elected” to the Parliament. They are using all means and it’s never ending really.
So, all we can do is to await the declared results and the Return Form for Transmission of Results, which will be the end of it. Because, these sorts of elections are getting old. It is the same old tricks and schemes, which is made to benefit one party. That’s all they do and it’s just a loss-loss operation. It is no integrity or honesty in it. Only an open day-time robbery and proof of rigging. This is so obvious and it’s just shows how the NRM operates.
Gideon Thembo Mujungu is bound for the Parliament. His not going there out of charisma, character or campaign. No, his going there for one reason: The NRM decided it and that’s why. He is just another pawn and a “yes-man” they need to vote in favour the State House. Peace.
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Busongola County South By-Election: Three major candidates running…
“The Electoral Commission in Kasese has cleared the first candidate to vie for the Busongora South by-election scheduled for August 18th, 2022. NUP’s Mbaju Jackson Kathika was dully nominated at 11:00 am. Having been nominated, he is optimistic about victory in the polls” (NBS Television, 08.08.2022).
“The increasing number of NRM members opting to run as Independents in the Busongola by-election in Kasese district is giving party officials a headache. The party officials are worried that the numbers might put pressure on the NRM flag bearer should they be nominated. This was revealed during an NRM Delegates Conference to flag off Mujungu Gideon as the party’s flag bearer” (NBS Television, 07.08.2022).
In Kasese district in the Busongola South By-Election scheduled for the polls on the 18th August 2022. There are already three major candidates. The NRM own flag-bearer Thembo Gideon Mujungu who won in the General Election of 2021 and was recently “nullified” in the courts. That’s why the county is again having elections for the seat in Parliament.
The other important flag-bearers are the National Unity Platform Jackson Kathika Mbaju, the former MP (FDC, 2016-2021) and who ran as an independent in 2021, but is returning as a NUP Flag-bearer in 2022. He was the runner-up in 2021, as the NUP flag-bearer of 2021 was Michael Masereka and he came in at 9th out of 10 candidates. So, they went for a more viable option this time around.
While the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) own flag-bearer is Kighema Alozious Baguma. In the 2021 elections he came third and after the then independent candidate Mbaju. That’s why this campaign and by-election will be interesting. Mbaju lacked about 100 votes to win over Mujungu in the General Elections, while Baguma needed about 700 votes to conquer the NRM flag-bearer. Therefore, these three are neck-in-neck.
We should also wonder if Kafunda Boaz returns to the polls again. As his a former MP (2011-2016) for the region, but only came in 6th of 10. Maybe he wants the “pure democracy” as he wanted applause for celebrating the arrest of former Prime Minister Amama Mbabazi. Well, time will tell really.
Here is another contested race and Kasese has been a stronghold for the FDC. That has been well known for some time. That’s why at one point they had all MPs, but now times are maybe changing. However, it is interesting that the NUP picked up a former FDC MP and former Independent for this race. This will certainly make it contested and make it harder to gain the total majority of one of the opposition. That will benefit the NRM flag-bearer and could be a reason for victory. This is just speculation, even as we all know that the NRM state machinery is in the works and eventually the malpractices and the intimidation will start. That’s why by-elections looks like war-zones and not “democratic inspired events” anymore.
It is also interesting that the NUP is fielding a candidate, as the NUP knows the history of Kasese. As they have a statement of unity and planned to work together in elections. They are certainly doing so elsewhere in By-Elections. However, right here… they are seemingly very keen on contesting. I wonder how that will play out or if this is a strategy by both parties.
Busongola South By-Election will be something to look out for. There are so many flag-bearers that this will turn interesting… Peace.
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Opinion: The Bukimbiri County and Busongora County South By-Elections is up next…
After Omoro and Soroti East By-Elections this year. The National Resistance Movement (NRM) will not back-down. Don’t expect these By-Elections to be anything better. The NRM uses all means to “win” and pyrrhic victories is their vibe.
The same will be the case on the 11th August in Bukimbiri County in Kisoro Distric and on the 18th August Busongora County South in Kasese District. That’s only about two or three weeks from now. People are already shattered and seen the means to an end from the NRM. They don’t mind using military means, mass-arresting and ordering the military to intimidate the people. The NRM doesn’t care about ballot-stuffing, pre-ticked ballots or ferrying voters. No, everything goes as long as their Member of Parliament is elected. That is what the previous By-Elections has shown.
The Forum for Democratic Change (FDC) can field a candidate in both elections here. The National Unity Platform (NUP) as well. It doesn’t matter who the Alliance for National Transformation (ANT) or Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) either. The FDC has big chances in Kasese, as that has been their stronghold in that region, but we saw how much that mattered in Teso sub-region. The machinery and the state will just assault its way to power. It doesn’t matter what the will of the people or what the people wants to vote. The predetermined minds of the State House and the NRM CEC matters more.
After what we have seen, the FDC and the other opposition parties can field candidates. These candidates do an honest campaign and be canvassing votes in the constituency. We know that the FDC, NUP and ANT will field candidates in Bukimbiri County. However, after what we have seen in Omoro and Soroti East that this doesn’t really matter. The NRM will ensure their MPs get elected and they will not spare on anything. They will use money, promise the heavens and rig the polls. That’s what they do and people should know that.
The opposition could have the best candidates, heck they could have saviour and a grand peacemaker. The person would still lose, because the NRM would use all their tools to get ahead. They don’t mind to arrest, detain and silence the opposition. The NRM can use the army and the police force for their winning. That has been shown and the soldiers will be there too. This is the only way the NRM can “win” an election in 2022.
We need to expect more mass-arrests and more agony. The NRM and the current regime will not allow a proper election to be held. Because, if the NRM and the Electoral Commission held that. They would risk to lose to a nobody or an unknown person from another party. That’s because the public is tired of the NRM and this is why they fear the voice of the people. They wouldn’t dare to do an honest election. For a simple reason: They don’t trust the judgement of the people and that’s why they have to decide for them.
We should expect shambolic affairs… elections filled with malpractice and intimidation. Voting bribery, voter ferrying and pre-ticked ballots. All of it will be used. That’s why the persons on the ballots doesn’t really matter. The ones on the Yellow Bus and part of the NRM will have an advantage the others cannot conquer. The only way they can do that is if the public storms the tally-centres and reacts to the open rigging of the regime.
However, I wouldn’t count on it. The usage of the army, police and high ranking officials to rig the elections. Will strike fear to the public and make them feel indifference. The elections has no real purpose. As it is only a ceremonial waiting-game for the announcement of the NRM Flag-bearer for MP. Peace.
MinBane 