Buyonga Vote Delayed as Bukomansimbi Polls Stay Peaceful

What the report says

Nile Post reported that Local Council I elections in Bukomansimbi District were largely calm on Tuesday, with residents choosing village chairpersons across most of the district. The exception was Buyonga Town, where the Electoral Commission said voting was postponed because of logistical problems and rescheduled for Wednesday.

According to the report, voting began in the morning at designated polling points using Uganda’s lining-up system for LC I elections. In Bukoba Village, verification started at about 10:00 a.m. but was briefly delayed when some residents could not find their names on the register and asked officials to read it again. After the names still did not appear, officials continued with the exercise.

Independent candidates were prominent in several contests. Dorothy Nakiweewa won in Bukoba Village with 396 votes, defeating NRM candidate Dirisa Byamukama and NUP’s Ronaldo Zankumbi. In Bukomansimbi Central, independent candidate Bashir Kagimu won with 174 votes against NRM’s Dirisa Ssemanda. Other reported winners included John Ssemugenyi in Kyanakibi, Dodovic Lwankulanga in Lukuuku, NUP’s Antonio Tebizigama Ojuku in Kitwekyanjovu, and several NRM, FDC and independent candidates in other villages. Some candidates were declared unopposed after withdrawals or absence of challengers.

District Electoral Commission Registrar Betty Kyomugereko said Buyonga Town was the only village she could confirm had missed voting. Nile Post reported that Bukomansimbi has 254 villages and that the Electoral Commission put participation in the LC I elections at 46,495 voters. LC I chairpersons are the lowest elected local government leaders in Uganda and are important for village-level administration and access to local public programmes.