Voting continues in Lwengo district in a by election for the Bukoto South Constituency MP, but not without hitches.
Atleast two police officers have been arrested in connection with alleged electoral malpractice.
One of them has been identified as the OC CID Sembabule Iga Gonzaga.
The duo is said to have been found at the stores at the district headquarters together with the Returning officer Elijah Gracious at around 2am.
The electoral Commission chief Badru Kigundu has however explained the returning officer’s presence at the store saying he had to sort the ballot boxes from the other polling materials.
The police officers have now been taken to Masaka Central Police station
The voting exercise that kicked off at 7 am is expected to close at 5pm at 66 polling stations.
Four candidates are in the race which had earlier attracted seven contestants.
They include Alintuma Nsambu of the NRM, Mathias Nsubuga of the Democratic Party, Daniel Katula and FDC’s Julius Ssentamu.
The Bukoto South parliamentary seat fell vacant after court nullified Muyanja Mbabali’s election over inadequate academic qualification.
Police in Masaka has started investigating reports of election violence which saw over 50 people including MPs arrested last night.
The group that was rounded up in Lwengo town is accused of disrupting peace in the area and threatening police officers while on duty.
Meanwhile, MPs; Muhammed Kawuma for Entebbe Municipality and Mukono Municipality’s Betty Namboze have been released without charges.
The police spokes person Asuman Mugenyi has confirmed the arrests, saying that after investigations they will seek guidance from the Director of Public Prosecutions on whether or not to release the suspects.
