Museveni is worried election violence and vote stealing by NRM sends the country back to 1980

President Yoweri Museveni has expressed dismay after receiving disturbing information about the recent Bukedea district LCV chairperson by-election.

While his party won the by-election by 91%, the President received information that government officials committed electoral offences.

“I am now getting information that government officials on the night of nomination invaded the home of Mr Omagor, confiscated his academic papers and stole his Shs163m,” the President says in a letter to Brig Gen Henry Isoke, the head of state house anti-corruption Unit.

This, according to the President, was done to prevent him from getting nominated. Come election morning, government officials invaded the polling stations and voted on behalf of the voters, the President further tells Brg Gen Isoke.

“This sounds like a film. However, I want to be sure that Uganda does not go back to the crime of 1980, with Muwanga elections that forced us to go to the bush,” he adds.

As an intervention, the President instructed Brig Gen Isoke to investigate the claims ‘and if any criminality was committed, take action and report back.’

“Such actions are not only electoral offences. They are also criminals. I am therefore directing you to handle the criminals,” the President concludes in the letter dated 26th June 2023.

In a press statement issued on 7th June 2023, the Transformer Cadres Association Uganda, a National Resistance Movement (NRM) leaning political pressure group, alleged that their member, David Steven Omagor, had been attacked and assaulted by a group of suspected goons at the Electoral Commission offices in Bukedea district.

He was seeking nomination to contest for the LCV chairperson by-election. The by-election was scheduled to take place on 14th June 2023.

Omagor had earlier claimed that his nomination forms, academic papers, and Shs162m had been stolen on 4th June 2023 by people in police uniform in a raid on his home.

This was not the first time that Omagor, an NRM historical member and an executive member of the Transformer Cadres Association Uganda, was being attacked and assaulted over election matters.

In 2020, during the NRM primaries, suffered the same mistreatment when tried to vie for the Kachumbala constituency.