Rushenyi county locals in Ntungamo district spent the biggest part of Friday protesting the poll recount that put the embattled state Minister for labour, Mwesigwa Rukutana in the lead against Naomi Kabasharira. This was the second consecutive day that they have stormed the streets in protest of the decision reached by the Tanga Odoi Electoral Commission which they say is biased against their endeared candidate, Kabasharira who as per the September 5 results was declared winner with 24,006 votes while Mr Rukutana garnered 23,966 votes leaving a difference of only 40 votes.
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The riotous mob today turned more rowdy and erected rubble, tyres and barricades on the Mbarara-Ntungamo highway in a bid to slow traffic and block vehicles from using that route.
Tanga Odoi says the NRM returning officer did not announce the right results as 12 counties had been left out. It is further said that even results of Rukutana’s birth place where not announced and yet this is his stronghold.
The locals however have strongly urged Dr. Tanga Odoi to consider stepping down as the NRM party Electoral Commission chairperson or else he is from now onwards out of bounds from laying foot on Ntungamo soil. “We want him to announce our winner, Ms. Kabasharira who genuinely won. We don’t want arrogant Rukutana in our area,” fumed one of the protesters. “We don’t want killers in our district. Let him go an rear his cattle,” he adds.
Minister Rukutana’s disputed victory is likely to tear the party apart after a section of Kabasharira supporters vowed to front her as an independent candidate in case the NRM EC does not downplay its final resolve to have Rukutana as flag bearer. Despite all this tension right from its genesis, the Ntungamo district NRM chairperson who doubles as the first lady, Janet Kataaha Museveni has never said a word regarding the matter. Reliable sources implicate her in all the ongoing woes targeting the Minister.