THUMBS UP FOR DP's KAWUMA

DP's Mohamed Kawuma casting his ballot. Photo by Arthur Kintu.

DP’s Kawuma recaptures Entebbe seat
Thursday, 29th September, 2011

By Vision Reporters

Democratic Party candidate Muhammad Kawuma on Thursday recaptured the Entebbe Municipality parliamentary seat after trouncing his arch-rival, Patience Mubangizi, the National Resistance Movement flag-bearer.
Kawuma, whose election was nullified by court, polled 13,727 votes, while Mubangizi received 6,226 votes.
Forum for Democratic Change’s Wilberforce Sseryazi got 209 votes and Haawa Nakibuule (independent) trailed with 12 votes. Kawuma won in most polling stations, including at the polling station where Mubangizi voted from.
Sarah Bukirwa, the Wakiso returning officer, announced the results at Changsha Model Primary School where the Electoral Commission tally centre was set up.
The exercise was carried out amid tight security. It was largely peaceful.
Grace Turyagumanawe, the Kampala Metropolitan Police Commander, led the security operations.
The Police deployed at all the 74 polling stations and all roads leading to the two divisions and wards.
Mubangizi successfully petitioned the High Court to nullify Kawuma’s election during the February elections.
Court ruled in her favour and ordered fresh elections.
Kawuma opted not to appeal against the court ruling.
The exercise was, however, temporarily disrupted by the early morning downpour.
At Entebbe SS ground polling station where Mubangizi cast her vote, she got 58 votes, while Kawuma collected 173.
After he was declared winner, Kawuma said: “I am excited about the win, but I expected it. This is the reason I did not appeal against the court ruling.”
Kawuma had complained about what he termed as excessive deployment of the Police in the municipality, saying it would intimidate residents. But as results came in, he was buoyant.
Kawuma’s team monitoring the exercise included several DP legislators and Kampala Lord Mayor Erias Lukwago.
Although NRM big-wigs appeared at their candidate’s campaigns, they were not visible on polling day. Only youth activists Asiimwe Mulekwa and Joseph Ssewava appeared.
At St. Joseph polling station in Katabi, Capt. Amunoni Baruku, a soldier attached to the Air Force, was arrested for forcefully voting.

DP's KAWUMA DECLARED ENTEBBE MUNICIPALITY MP
By Martin Ssebuyira (email the author)

Posted Friday, September 30 2011 at 00:00

Democratic Party Candidate Muhammed Kawuma was last evening declared the MP for Entebbe Municipality in Wakiso District, beating his closest political opponent Patience Mubangizi of the ruling National Resistance Movement with a huge margin.
Wakiso District Returning Officer Sarah Bukirwa declared Mr Kawuma the winner for the second time in less than six months after he polled 13,727 votes followed by Ms Mubangizi with 6226 votes from 74 polling stations. According to the results , Forum for Democratic Change (FDC)’s William Wilberforce Serayzi scored 209 votes while Independent candidate Hawa Nakibuule scored 012 votes. Out of the 20,174 votes cast, 204 were declared invalid.
Mr Kawuma took an early lead in a by-election that resulted from a High Court order after the nullification of his election on February 18 over non-compliance with the electoral laws on the side of the Electoral Commission (EC).
His triumph in yesterday’s poll has been viewed by his supporters as a confirmation of his victory in the February 18 which was nullified by the High Court over the EC’s omission of votes from 12 out of 74 polling stations.
The EC declaration was a confirmation of the Democratic Party tally centre earlier results that indicated that he was leading his main contestant Ms Mubangizi at a margin of 7,501 votes.
The declaration of the results at the EC tally centre based at Changsha Model Primary School in Entebbe prompted thousands of jubilant DP supporters to take to Entebbe streets last night, singing. They accompanied Mr Kawuma from the tally centre to his home.
Despite heavy security deployment in the area, the supporters shouted and swept the road where Mr Kawuma was driven in a convoy comprising DP top leadership.
“I am happy that Entebbe people have spoken. I last time (Feb. 18) won Ms Mubangizi with a smaller margin and I have tripled it this time,” he said amidst applause soon after being declared.
Earlier results put Mr Kawuma in early lead with 3,427 votes compared to Ms Mubangizi 1,391, while FDC’s Seryazi had 102 votes from seven polling stations out of the 74 registered by the EC.
There was tight security at the EC tally centre where only legislators, Entebbe local leaders and the candidates were allowed inside, leaving other members of the public including the media to listen from loud speakers.
By 9pm, Hajati Bukirwa declared that she had received all polling station results and asked the public to patiently wait for the announcements of the final declarations.
A statement issued by DP leadership showed that Mr Kawuma had scored well and led in the army polling stations where he previously performed poorly.
The by-election that were disrupted by a down pour while in some areas, the exercise started as early as 8.30am amid tight security comprising of anti-riot and mobile police deployed to monitor the exercise.
Six people were arrested, including a UPDF soldier attached to the Air force, a sub county councillor and political assistant to Wakiso District Chairman Matia Lwanga Bwanika.
At Manyango Polling Station, Councillor Dan Kyeyune survived arrest by the police after a tip-off by Kampala youth Chairman Joseph Sewava and Lugonjo Village Chairman Paul Zikuliza that he was allegedly influencing voters at a polling station.
At St Joseph Katabi Polling Station, the Police ordered Democratic Party supporters to vacate the station to avoid disrupting the election exercise.

mssebuyira@ug.nationmedia.com