{UAH} Plane carrying Uganda’s ballot papers did not land in Rwanda- Official

Plane carrying Uganda's ballot papers did not land in Rwanda- Official

Presidential ballot papers arrived in the country on January 28 following a delay of about 3 hours from the scheduled time prompting speculations of suspected collusion. Photo by Rachel Mabala 

Kampala.

Rwanda's civil aviation sector regulator has denied claims that the plane carrying Ugandan presidential ballot papers first landed in the country's capital Kigali, before making its way to Uganda.

The denial follows an alleged conspiracy between the authorities in Uganda and Rwanda to rig the February 18 polls by off loading some ballot papers in Rwanda to be transported later to Uganda to benefit one of the eight presidential candidates in the forthcoming exercise.

"According to the flight data information by the Air Traffic control Unit at Kigali International Airport, in the past four to five days and earlier, no flight of that nature from South Africa made a stopover or landed at Kigali International Airport and the ground handling department doesn't have recordings of the alleged flight," Silas Udahemuka, the Director General of Rwanda Civil Aviation Authority (RCAA) said in a statement yesterday.

The plane carrying ballot papers touches down at Entebbe Airport. Photo by Rachel Mabala.

Mr Udahemuka challenged those making the allegation to provide information to the contrary.

Presidential ballot papers arrived in the country on January 28 following a delay of about 3 hours from the scheduled time prompting speculations of suspected collusion.

Electoral Commission (EC) chairperson Dr Badru Kiggundu explained that the delivery which was supposed to be 10am but was postponed to 1pm was due to poor weather in South Africa.

Ballot papers are offloaded from the plane. Photo by Rachel Mabala

Ms Paarl Media of South Africa which printed the ballot papers, the Ethiopian Airlines which transported them and the South African aviation regulator are yet to explain what caused the delay.

sdkafeero@ug.nationmedia.com

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H.OGWAPITI
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"To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or that  we are to stand by the president right or wrong, is not only unpatriotic  and servile, but is morally treasonable to the American public."
---Theodore Roosevelt

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