Former candidates in the Bukedea District Local Council (LCV) by-election are calling on the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to publicly release its findings on the election-related violence that disrupted the electoral process in the district.
The by-election, held in May 2023, was necessitated by the death of the incumbent LCV chairperson, Moses Olemukan, who died of liver cancer at the Mulago Cancer Institute. Olemukan had previously been remanded in prison over allegations of murder linked to a Christmas incident in 2021.
The election was marred by violence, including reported assaults on candidates and alleged torture of campaign agents perceived to be unsupportive of the National Resistance Movement (NRM) candidate, Mary Akol.
In response to public outcry, President Yoweri Museveni directed the State House Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the incidents of violence and identify those responsible. During the inquiry, the Anti-Corruption Unit recorded statements from Electoral Commission officials, campaign agents, and candidates.
The investigation led to the arrest of several officials, including Bukedea Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Wilberforce Tukei, District Police Commander (DPC) Charles Okoto, and Gombolola Internal Security Officer (GISO) Maimud Oluka.
While the RDC and DPC were transferred to Kampala, the GISO reportedly surrendered voluntarily to the unit. The officials were accused of having prior knowledge of a planned attack but failing to intervene when a group, allegedly including a man identified as Malinga, robbed candidate David Stephen Omagor of 9 million shillings and his nomination documents.
The RDC and DPC were further accused of failing to respond to widespread intimidation and violence directed at candidates, polling agents, journalists, and voters.
Testimonies also alleged that the GISO directly participated in the assault and robbery on the day of Omagor’s nomination. The suspects were later charged and appeared before Bukedea Grade One Magistrate Juliana Kimono. They were remanded from July 17 to July 26, 2023, before being granted bail.
Since their release, the case has reportedly stalled, prompting frustration among former candidates and sections of the community over the lack of updates and accountability.
Tychicus Lokwiisk Ebukalin, a former independent candidate with NRM leanings, described the political environment surrounding the by-election. He said that following Olemukan’s death, the Electoral Commission organized the poll, attracting several aspirants, including himself, Mary Akol, David Omagor, and Sam Oita.
However, Ebukalin alleged that a meeting convened by former Speaker of Parliament Anita Annet Among pressured candidates to withdraw in favour of Akol, a move he said was resisted by some aspirants.“We needed a competitive election, not just handing over the seat without voter involvement,” Ebukalin said. He further recounted alleged attempts to block his nomination, as well as violence at nomination centres.
“The situation escalated to the point of candidates being waylaid at the nomination centre. Others were assaulted, tortured, and their documents confiscated in broad daylight, with security present,” he said.
Despite the alleged intimidation, Ebukalin and Oita eventually secured nominations. However, they later faced allegations from the Electoral Commission tribunal in Kampala regarding missing documentation.“I questioned why the LC1 letter was required post-nomination, as it was not stated as a prerequisite during the nomination process,” he said.
Ebukalin further alleged that days before the election, candidates were again pressured to withdraw, claiming the aim was to avoid embarrassment to the President.“We insisted that we would not step down; let the people of Bukedea decide who should lead them,” he said.
He also alleged that security meetings were held ahead of the election involving RDCs, DPCs, and parliamentary staff as election officials.“There was more security than election officials, and intimidation was rampant. Parliamentary staff was seen rigging and marking ballot papers under the watchful eyes of the people in Bukedea,” he alleged.
Ebukalin claimed that Akol was declared the winner without clear documentary evidence such as DR forms or tally sheets. Following the election, candidates raised concerns through the media, prompting President Museveni to direct the Anti-Corruption Unit to investigate the incidents in Bukedea.
Although the investigation reportedly established multiple cases of violence and affected individuals, subsequent court processes have not yielded visible progress, leaving former candidates and residents disillusioned.
“We, the people of Bukedea, have never been given our human rights as residents,” Ebukalin said. “It has always been a battle between Anita’s team and the community seeking accountability. Bukedea has become a polarized district; if you do not align with Anita’s team, you cannot conduct business or live a normal life here.”
David Omagor, another former LCV candidate and victim of election violence, urged authorities to act on the findings of the investigation. “There was significant evidence that could have been used to prosecute those responsible for the violence,” he said, calling for a public forum for residents to share their experiences of election-related violence and displacement.
Sam Osire also called for greater grassroots involvement in the accountability process. “We have not been safe; I was denied the right to contest, tortured, and the people were not allowed to vote freely,” he said.
Mariam Natasha, Communications Manager and Spokesperson for the State House Anti-Corruption Unit, confirmed that the report on the Bukedea election violence had been submitted to President Museveni.
The arrested officials were charged with neglect of duty, as well as robbery and assault linked to the election-related violence. As the community continues to seek justice for the violence experienced during the by-election, calls for transparency, accountability, and the release of investigative findings remain central demands among former candidates and residents of Bukedea.
SOURCE: URN
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