70-year-old LC 1 Official Gets Kisanja after 20 year service

Supporters of an incumbent Bukenya Ali broke into in celebrations after their candidate beat two other opponents ( Kawooya Emmanuel and Ssenkungu Lauben Musisi) in an election that was conducted for the 3rd time in Lungujja at  a pitch locally known  as Kukasawe Ka Younger in Rubaga Division, Kampala on 16th August 2018.

The 70 year old Bukenya Ali, who has been the Local Council chairman in Lungujja Zone 8 in Rubaga division for about 20 years, was declared the duly elected Chairman of the area by Derrick Katura the village election official.

“We counted the people who lined up behind their candidates and here are the results. Ssenkungu Lauben Musisi has garnered 06 votes, Kawooya Emmanuel has got 51 votes and Bukenya Ali has got 158 votes. Bukenya Ali is the newly chairman elect of Lungujja zone 8,” Katura said.

Stiff competition was between the incumbent 70 year old Ali Bukenya and 41 year old Kawooya Emmanuel. The majority youthful supporters who were already in a celebratory mood, some holding bottles of beer, and sachets of waragi surrounded Bukenya while Kawooya cried foul.

“I will serve with honesty and fairness and what people tell me is what I will follow”, said Bukenya , the newly elected Chairman.

As required by the Local Government Act section 111, Bukenya the newly elected chairman selected seven members for the committee however, shockingly to the residents; his secretary was selected from the opponent’s camp.

His main rival Kawooya Ali conceded defeat saying “I just wanted to show Bukenya that I disagreed with the initial results. But now I agree with the results because security was sufficient and no outside people joined the lines like at first."

Bukenya’s other opponent Ssenkungu Lauben Musisi told Nile Post that he had earlier agreed to the results at first but was forced to repeat the election since the electoral commission announced.

“The past election was not properly conducted as the registers were not alphabetically arranged which showed that we are backward” said the 39 year old Ssenkungu.

In an election that was being conducted for the 3rd time after the initial 10th July and 16th July , Bukenya emerged winner, something  that prompted Kawooya to protest the results.

Emmanuel Kawooya petitioned the Electoral commission on July 11 citing irregularities during the initial elections held on 10th July and 16th July.

Kawooya argued that unregistered persons joined the line of incumbent Ali Bukenya and alleged that the then village election officer who was presiding over the election didn't do the actual counting of the people in lines but rather estimated and later announced.

However on Thursday there was heavy security deployment with 8 officials overseeing the activity. There was verification of registered voters before community members were allowed to cast their polls at 12:20pm.

Lining up behind the candidates commenced immediately and by 1pm , the polling assistants were through with counting the voters and ready to announce the winner.

Only 215 people approximately 17% voted out of about 1300 registered residents. Kawooya attributed the low voter turnout to the fact that Thursday was  a working day.

The LC 1 by elections that have taken place in 19 villages in the districts of Kampala, Jinja, Kiryadongo and Wakiso were  announced by the Electoral Commission in a statement dated 10th August signed by the acting chairperson EC Hajjat Aisha Lubega Basajjanaku.