WHY ANT’ MUNTU, MAO SHUNNED NEBBI POLL
By Mulengera Reporters
Lack of political support and structures in the area prevented parties like Norbert Mao’s DP, Gen Mugisha Muntu’s ANT, Asuman Basalirwa’s JEEMA and Jimmy Akena’s UPC from fielding candidates for the Nebbi LC5 chairman race, a report by CCEDU has revealed. The Nebbi polling is today Thursday.
Dated 10th June and signed by National Coordinator Crisp Kaheru, the comprehensive report indicates that the leaders of the four parties were interviewed by CCEDU teams and they confessed lack of support kept them away from Nebbi LC5 race.
This left NRM and FDC to fight for the LC5 Seat and the lower level positions. That Muntu, renowned for insisting on structures and operating on tactics, opened up and told CCEDU interviewers it would be expecting too much for such a young party to field candidates in Nebbi.
He argued the election had come too soon after party registration and launch meaning they weren’t prepared to have a candidate there. The Nebbi seat fell vacant after the former LC5 boss William Esrom Alenyo died in a motor accident in September 2018. More than 120,000 voters are eligible to participate in today Thursday voting at the 65 polling stations scattered in the 16 Sub Counties.
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Nebbi has a population of 274,800 residents and besides the LC5 Seat, there are other 34 other elective positions being filled today attracting a total of 64 candidates. For the 34 positions, NRM fielded 29, FDC 19 and UPC 2. These are for Sub County and District councilor positions. 12 were independents. The CCEDU pre-election report shows that 15 candidates were unopposed including 11 from NRM, two from FDC and two independents.
CCEDU’s very comprehensive report also highlights gender issues, competence levels exhibited by EC teams and the role LCs have played especially regarding voter register clean up exercise in the 636 villages making Nebbi district. Saying the general pre-election environment was generally commendably peaceful, the CCEDU Election Observation Mission to Nebbi, being led by Crisp Kaheru, also highlights challenges experienced so far including mild violence and arrest of stakeholders like observers and journalists.
The three candidates tussling it out for the LC5 position include FDC’s Emmanuel Onyai Vicki, NRM’s 31-year-old Emmanuel Urombi and the independent George Othuba. Remarkably, all candidates are relatively young aged below 51 years. (For comments, call, text or whatsapp us on 0703164755 or email us at mulengera2040@gmail.com).
