Voting for local government council candidates is underway in Ntungamo District amid tight security, following delays at several polling stations and arrests linked to alleged ballot stuffing.
At Ntungamo Modern Institute polling station, voting had not commenced by 8am as officials were still erecting demarcation poles and gazetting the polling area, despite having received all required election materials.
The situation was compounded by the late arrival of voters and candidates’ agents, leaving no members of the public present to witness the unsealing of the ballot boxes.
Voting later began at Modern Institute, Cell Three, under heightened security deployment.
The polling station recorded incidents that led to the arrest of several individuals, including a polling official, over alleged ballot stuffing.
The arrests prompted increased vigilance by security personnel deployed at the station.
Despite the disruptions, voting continued as authorities moved to maintain order and safeguard the integrity of the electoral process.
Elsewhere across Ntungamo District, the elections were characterised by generally low and delayed voter turnout, with slow voting patterns reported at various polling stations throughout the day.
However, some areas experienced a calm and orderly process. In Kyamate, Cell Eight, voting proceeded peacefully with no major incidents reported.
The Electoral Commission continued to closely monitor the exercise across the district, with security remaining tight as voting progressed.