By KT Reporter
The Democratic Front’s parliamentary candidate for Kimanya-Kabonera Division in Masaka city is locked in a bitter dispute with his National Resistance Movement opponent over alleged voters’ manipulation.
Bwanika, who is the incumbent area MP has petitioned the Electoral Commission, accusing Asiimwe of hoodwinking unsuspecting voters in the area by collecting from them National Identification details for suspicious reasons.
He alleges that he has received various reports about Asiimwe’s campaign agents who are moving around the constituency obtaining voters’ National Identification Numbers (NINs), something that is raising serious suspicions.
He indicates that many elderly persons and first-time voters in the area have already surrendered their detailsafter they were promised welfare support items.
Bwanika is afraid that there could be a deliberate scheme by his opponent to disenfranchise the targeted people of their rights to cast their votes on the polling day.
Besides seeking the intervention of the Electoral Commission, Bwanika has also urged the affected residents to report their grievances to police for investigations.
But Robert Asiimwe has denied the allegations laveled against him, arguing that Bwanika is just scared of his impending elections loss and making up accusations to attract public sympathy.
He says the allegations stem from the disappointment Bwanika has suffered due to mass defection of his campaign agents, who are aggrieved by his leadership.
Asiimwe has also threatened to petition the Electoral Commission over what he describes as Bwanika’s scornful and hateful campaign language which he says incite violence in the community.
The race for Kimanya-Kabonera Division parliamentary seat has five candidates.
Hydary Joloba, the Masaka City Electoral Commission Assistant Returning Officer says they have not yet formally received the complaints, however he cautions the candidates to follow the campaign guidelines issued to them after nominations.
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