KAMPALA —Mr. Jimmy Akena, the Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) president has blasted the ruling National Resistance Movement for engaging and sponsoring in undemocratic acts of ballot stuffing.
Addressing reporters at the party headquarters in Kampala, Mr. Akena listed three noticeable Polling Stations of Wang Lobo, Acokara and Baromele in Otwal Sub County where he said that ballot stuffing happened in full view of men in uniform.
“We strongly condemn, the undemocratic acts of ballot stuffing especially, at the three noticeable Polling Stations of Wang Lobo, Acokara and Baromele in Otwal Sub County, in full view of men in uniform,” he said.
Mr. Akena and his party believe that a lot of similar incidents may have happened in other areas where they had less man power.
“We take note that the President acknowledged the election malpractices. This remains a very real threat to democratic practices and undermines the will of the people. As UPC, we are going to pursue this matter to its logical conclusion. We need to deepen our democracy by holding free, fair and peaceful elections devoid of malpractices and violence,” he said.
UPC party candidate Eunice Otuko Apio was last week declared the winner of the Oyam County North by-elections.
Otuko Apio replaces Col (Rtd) Charles Okello Engola, who was in May shot dead by his bodyguard Wilson Sabiiti.
Otuko Apio was declared winner by the Oyam District Returning Officer Richard Onoba.
She garnered 15,718 votes—defeating her closest rival Samuel Engola Okello of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) who got 15,161 votes.
Freddy Newton Okello of Forum for Democratic Change was third with 714 votes followed by Daniel Okello, National Unity Platform (NUP) candidate who got 403 votes.
Akena said the victory of UPC and its flag bearer is a great one and it has set “our pace that needs to be sustained with hard work, commitment and team work”.
