President Yoweri Museveni has congratulated Uganda People’s Congress -UPC candidate, Dr Eunice Apio for defeating his party’s candidate Samuel Engola Jr. Museveni has advised his party the National Resistance Movement -NRM to go to court if they think UPC cheated in the election.
He also condemned the group that put one of the presiding officials at gun point and pre-ticked all the ballots at one of the polling centers in favour of NRM candidate. Although the voting was repeated at the polling center, Museveni said what was done is an act of treason that should not be part of today’s society.
“If UPC cheated in any way, the NRM can follow the legal channels. I condemn and demand action against the law-breakers that are said to have ticked the ballots on behalf of the voters. This is treason and no NRM should ever take part in that crime,” Museveni said.
Although in all presidential and by-elections Museveni and his party candidates have often been accused of using security forces to wreck havoc on their rivals, Museveni has today said cheating is only done by the Opposition mostly in Kampala.
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“It is the Opposition that has been doing that around Kampala, with the incompetent NRM officials failing to catch them. If the voters cannot do so genuinely and influence the choice of the candidates and Parties, then how can the People guarantee their future and discipline leaders? This is why the NRM went to the bush. Vote rigging, bribery, violence, lies, etc., must be banished from our elections,” Museveni said.
Museveni has insisted that all voting must be electronic, using the thumb prints. He wondered how pre-ticking comes in if all voting is electronic. He said UPC has been in recent years positive, not disruptive and so has DP been. “That is why I congratulate them, although I would have preferred the NRM to win. Nevertheless, both the UPC and the DP should pay.”
Oyam North constituency fell vacant following the death of state minister for labour Charles Okello Engola who was shot dead by his bodyguard Pte Wilson Sabiiti on May 2, 2023. NRM chose his son Samuel Engola who has lost to UPC.