Kawempe (UG): The Kawempe North by-election has become embroiled in a new scandal, as opposition leaders Joel Ssenyonyi and David Lewis Rubongoya have accused Prime Minister Robinah Nabbanja of masterminding a vote-rigging operation. The leaders claim they uncovered a secret location in Nameere where ballots were being pre-ticked in favor of a particular candidate.
Ssenyonyi, the Leader of Opposition (LOP), expressed outrage, declaring, “We caught them red-handed, engaged in clear election malpractice.” He further alleged that Nabbanja, who had recently accused opposition MPs of election misconduct, was the true orchestrator behind the rigging scheme.
“Yesterday, she was on television accusing our MPs Kivumbi and Namugga of pre-ticking ballots. But now it is clear that it was just a tactic to deflect attention from her own involvement in the rigging,” Ssenyonyi added.
The allegations came after the opposition leaders, tipped off by concerned citizens, raided a suspected vote-rigging center in Nameere. Upon arrival, they were confronted by armed men, believed to be security operatives, guarding the premises. Journalists who had accompanied the opposition team also found themselves caught up in the chaotic scene.
Rubongoya, the NUP Secretary General, shared his experience of the violent confrontation. “They struck me with a baton on the face and attacked other leaders and journalists. Our ‘crime’ was entering the house in Nameere, where we had been informed that vote-rigging was taking place. We caught them in the act, removing vehicle number plates, and when we confronted them, they turned violent,” Rubongoya recounted.
Despite the physical assault, Rubongoya and Ssenyonyi have vowed to continue their fight for electoral integrity. “We shall overcome,” Rubongoya stated, urging their supporters to stay vigilant.
With tensions escalating in Kawempe North, the opposition is demanding swift action from the Electoral Commission and other relevant authorities to investigate the allegations. NUP supporters have flooded social media, calling for transparency and accountability in the by-election process.
Prime Minister Nabbanja has yet to respond to the accusations. However, her earlier remarks, accusing opposition MPs of election fraud, have sparked speculation about the ruling party’s possible involvement in the scandal.
As the by-election unfolds, all eyes are now on how authorities will address these serious allegations. The opposition has promised to present additional evidence in the coming days, and the political climate in Kawempe North is expected to remain charged as the struggle for fair elections continues.