UPC Women’s MP Primaries in Kisoro Called Off Amid Accusations of Ineligible Voting and Chaos

Uganda peoples congress (UPC) party primaries for the women MP flagbearer in the upcoming by-elections on 14th November were this evening called-off by the National vice chairperson for the party Brenda Atim Kinyera. The elections that were slated at Bamboo Gardens in central division, Kisoro municipality came to standstill as the candidates accused each other of fetching ineligible voters.

The two candidates who were in the race included the metropolitan international university guild speaker Susan Natukunda and Ingabire Meble, a graduate of guidance and counselling also a formers staff of hope for orphans and vulnerable children project (HAVOC) in Kisoro district.

The two candidates who earlier on had a platform to deliver their manifestos in presence of the party National and regional leaders together with the anticipating voters had their hopes hit the dead-end as the voters were asked to line up for verification.

The seemingly disoriented voters filled the space with the disorderly voices challenging the order of lining up for verification that was issued out by the National vice chairperson for the UPC party Brenda Atim Kinyera.

Seb sequencing, the disorderliness in the area, Brenda Atim Kinyera unshakingly decided to call off the party elections for the flag bearer.

In her interaction with media, Brenda Atim said that she has prior knowledge that most of the people yawning for elections are ineligible members of the party who by natural principles of the party constitution are barred from participating. In her further disclosure she indicated that most of the same are students of Metropolitan International university who doesn’t hail from the election area (Kisoro).

 “As party we are going to sit and sort the issues amicably and  failure to adherence by tomorrow Wednesday 30th October 2024, the party shall not participate in the by-elections”, Brenda said.

Shortly after calling off the elections by the National vice chairperson Brenda Atim Kinyera, the Kisoro district chairperson for the UPC Amos Manirakiza contested the decision by Ms. Brenda Atim for halting elections.

Amos who seemed unsure of the exact registered number and other identities of the party members, declared his neutrality in elections, saying that all the party members should be allowed to vote and get the right flagbearer in the general elections.

“We are going to follow up on the causes behind the halt and then gets back to you”, Amos affirmed.

However, after the decision all the candidates interacted with the media, Ingabire Meble a candidate in the race said that she wouldn’t allow going top elections dominated by university students who are even ineligible members of the party. She thanked the election team to call off the elections saying that they have to condemn such evils in UPC.

“You all know that university has got students from different areas, some of who aren’t voters in Kisoro. I thus can’t accept to participate in such messed up elections”, Meble said.

Similarly, Susan Natukunda contested against the issues of ferrying university students to rally behind her. She affirmed that only those eligible were mobilised. She further accused her rival for connivance with the national leaders to wrongly halt the decision.

She in her optimism depicted hopes in being the right choice by tomorrow failure to that likely to cause the loss of the party’s popularity in the district.

The chaotic situation aroused the attention of the police from Kisoro district central police station led by the field force unit officer Noel Rwamahe. However, police arrived after both candidates had a closed-door meeting with the National party vice chairperson Brenda Atim Kinyera.

In a no-go area for media, a police officer Rwamahe directly entered the room after which he came asking everybody to vacate the place. Rwamahe’s orders seemed not yielding as some of the voters loudly asked him to provide their candidate.

Our efforts to establish the outcomes from the meeting were futile as the chairperson of the meeting Brenda Atim Kinyera was whisked away in the police vehicle.

However, other sources confirmed to media that police wasn’t arresting her as they just wanted her out of the Place peacefully.