Story by Obed Kankiriho
Voting in Rushambya Cell, Kirigime Ward in Kabale Municipality was temporarily suspended on Monday following protests by voters during the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party primaries.
Kabale Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Godfrey Nyakahuma ordered a one-hour suspension of the electoral process after tensions flared over the alleged exclusion of Salim Owoyesigyire, the acting Village Chairman and a candidate for LC1 Chairperson, from the NRM yellow book.
Owoyesigyire is contesting against David Rurihoona, a retired archdeacon of the Diocese of Kigezi.
The suspension, according to RDC Nyakahuma, was intended to give election officials time to consult the NRM Secretariat for clarification on the party’s latest election guidelines.
Babrah Ainebyoona, the NRM District Registrar, later confirmed that Owoyesigyire was indeed a duly nominated candidate under the revised guidelines and should not have been excluded.
Joshua Musinguzi, the NRM Electoral Commission official in charge of the area, noted that 432 voters are registered in the NRM yellow book for Rushambya Cell.
Voting resumed after the clarification was made, as local authorities called for calm and urged residents to respect electoral procedures.
