Voting for the Local Council One (LC1) chairperson in Bihembe Cell, Keihangara Sub-county, Ibanda District, was on Tuesday suspended after chaos erupted at the polling station, preventing residents from casting their ballots.
The disruption reportedly began when voters disagreed over the number of people in the voting queue, triggering confusion and disorder that forced electoral officials and security personnel to intervene.
Ibanda Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Godfrey Mbetegyereize said the Electoral Commission decided to postpone the exercise after it became impossible to conduct a peaceful and credible election.
"The confusion arose after voters failed to agree on the number of people in the queue. The situation became chaotic, making it difficult for election officials to proceed with the voting process. Following guidance from the Electoral Commission, the election was postponed until further notice," Mbetegyereize said.
He explained that the postponement was intended to safeguard the integrity of the electoral process and allow authorities to restore calm before a new polling date is announced.
The RDC commended security personnel deployed at the polling station for acting professionally and preventing the situation from escalating into violence.
"The responsibility of security is to ensure law and order throughout the electoral process. Our officers acted within the law to restore calm and protect both voters and election officials. We urge residents to remain peaceful as they await communication from the Electoral Commission," he added.
Residents who turned up early to participate in the election expressed disappointment over the postponement but appealed to the Electoral Commission to organize fresh polling as soon as possible so they can exercise their democratic right.
"We came prepared to vote peacefully, but disagreements among some voters disrupted the exercise. We hope the Electoral Commission will announce another polling date soon so that everyone can vote without tension," one voter said.
The Electoral Commission is expected to announce a new date for the postponed election after assessing the situation and ensuring conditions are conducive to a peaceful vote.