{UAH} Pojim/WBK: Minister, voters in bloody clash at NRM meeting - Elections

http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/Minister--voters-in-bloody-clash-at-NRM-meeting/-/859108/2945546/-/15cpo3kz/-/index.html

Minister, voters in bloody clash at NRM meeting

There was an ugly scuffle on Thursday at Bwebajja on Entebbe Road as residents of Rushenyi, Ntungamo District, were engaged in a bloody clash with the deputy Attorney General, Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana, over vote rigging in last week's NRM party primaries.

Residents accused Mr Rukutana of declaring himself on radio stations to have won the Rushenyi Constituency NRM primaries yet the party's district registrar has not declared the winner.
They also accused Mr Rukutana of vote rigging and intimidation, warning that unless the NRM primaries in Rushenyi are repeated, he cannot be announced winner.

A scuffle ensued and during the confrontation, Mr Rukutana's guard hit one of the voters, Mr Julius Karugaba, with a gun butt, leading to heavy bleeding. Karugaba was rushed to a nearby clinic for first aid.

The angry voters charged at Mr Rukutana, prompting police intervention. Police from Bwebajja told Mr Rukutana to leave the place and he complied.

The electoral contest for Rushenyi Constituency had attracted four candidates, among whom were Mr Justus Karuhanga, Mr Amon Atwebembere, Mr Herbert Nyongozi and Mr Rukutana.

Before meeting at Bwebajja, they met President Museveni at State House, seeking a nullification of the results of Rushenyi primaries. However, Mr Museveni referred them to the deputy NRM chairperson, Mr Moses Kigongo.

While the Rushenyi voters were meeting with Mr Kigongo at J&M Airport Hotel in Bwebajja, Mr Rukutana, accompanied by Mr Bob Kabonero, stormed the place and commotion ensued between them and the angry voters.

Mr Rukutana insisted he had won the primaries fairly and that he would not step aside, adding that claims of rigging were mere propaganda cultivated by the losers.
Mr Kigongo later made a report which would be submitted to the NRM disciplinary committee to find ways of addressing the complaints.

Mr Justus Karuhanga, an aspirant, said the primaries ought to be repeated, alleging that besides vote buying, some ballot papers had been pre-ticked in favour of Mr Rukutana by polling day.

When Saturday Monitor contacted Ntungamo NRM district registrar, Ms Maria Mirembe over the matter, she denied the claims of rigging in the primaries in Rushenyi. 
However, she said they have not yet announced the winner in Rushenyi because some votes were missing.

Mr Herbert Nyongozi, one of the aspirants, who has since vowed to run as an independent, also replicated claims of election rigging.

Mr Muhumuza Enock, a voter from Kashenyi-Ngoma village, said on the voting day, there were polling stations where votes exceeded voters. 
He said this caused a scuffle among rival groups over suspicion of intended rigging.

Minister, voters in bloody clash at NRM meeting - Elections

http://www.monitor.co.ug/SpecialReports/Elections/Minister--voters-in-bloody-clash-at-NRM-meeting/-/859108/2945546/-/15cpo3kz/-/index.html

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