Summary:
- They were suspended by National Vice Chairperson Brenda Atim Kinyera after discovering that candidates had ferried ineligible voters.
KISORO: The Uganda People’s Congress (UPC) party primaries for the Kisoro Woman MP flag bearer, initially scheduled ahead of the November 14 by-elections, were on Tuesday abruptly suspended Over Voter Eligibility issues.
They were suspended by National Vice Chairperson Brenda Atim Kinyera after discovering that candidates had ferried ineligible voters.
The primaries, held at Bamboo Gardens in the central division of Kisoro Municipality, saw two main contenders: Susan Natukunda, Guild Speaker of Metropolitan International University, and Ingabire Meble, a guidance and counseling graduate and former staff member at the Hope for Orphans and Vulnerable Children (HAVOC) project in Kisoro district.
Initially, both candidates presented their manifestos before party leaders, regional representatives, and voters. However, confusion ensued when voters were asked to line up for verification, leading to disorderly scenes and voices challenging the verification order issued by Vice Chairperson Kinyera.
In an interview, Kinyera explained that she had received information that many individuals eager to participate in the voting were not eligible UPC members, which the party’s constitution bars from voting. She added that a significant number of these ineligible voters were students from Metropolitan International University who do not reside in Kisoro.
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However, Kisoro District UPC Chairperson Amos Manirakiza contested Kinyera’s decision to suspend the primaries. Though unclear on the precise number and eligibility of the registered members, he advocated for neutrality and suggested that all members be allowed to vote to select the rightful flag bearer.
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Candidate Ingabire Meble praised the suspension, emphasizing the importance of addressing malpractice in UPC elections.
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Susan Natukunda, however, accused her rival of collaborating with national leaders to unjustly disrupt the election process.
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