By KT Reporter
Leaders of the National Unity Platform-NUP, People’s Front for Freedom-PFF and Alliance for National Transformation-ANT are holding inhouse trainings of their polling agents, ahead of the Thursday general elections.
NUP is leveraging on largely grassroots mobilizers commonly referred to as “foot soldiers,” whom they plan to deploy as polling agents for both their presidential candidate and parliamentary contestants alike.
The polling agents are being trained on how Biometric Voter Verification Kits-BVVK work and how they can detect fraudulent acts during the polling exercise.
The polling agents are also being retooled on prioritizing peace, amidst what they termed as as anticipated provocations from other actors, which is key in safeguarding their victory throughout the election exercise.
Mohammed Mutebi, the chairperson of NUP in Jinja city says that, all their agents were thoroughly vetted by seasoned party leaders, as suitable personnel to safeguard their interests at all the 376 polling stations across Jinja city.
Mutebi says that this pre-training in the polling exercise and how to detect fraud has equipped their teams with adequate skills to reject all irregularities, which might be orchestrated by ill intentioned individuals.
Mutebi also assures the public that their presidential candidate, Robert Kyagulanyi and their three parliamentary contestants campaigned extensively, which has created a sense of sure support from members of the general public.
He says that, this support can only be consolidated through deploying trained personnel at the different polling stations during the election days. Mutebi has further warned security agencies against facilitating irregularities during electoral processes, to deter misunderstandings and chaotic scenes on the polling days.
Rose Kalembe, the Jinja city woman parliamentary flag bearer for ANT says that, they are relying on coalitions with other opposition political parties as a means of safeguarding against vote rigging.
Kalembe says that since all opposition parties are targeting to defeat the NRM party at all levels only cooperation will actualize their goal.
Kalembe says this coalition involves information sharing about the progress of the electoral process at all times, which will enable them to deter any form of election fraud during the polling exercise.
Paul Kawanguzi, the PFF Jinja South West parliamentary flag bearer, says they have trained loyal party members to serve as agents on polling days. Kawanguzi says their agents have been trained in etiquette, a virtue which is key in enabling them to raise their complaints respectfully throughout the polling exercise.
This he hopes will foster peace and harmony, with limited faceoffs even amidst misunderstandings between different actors at the different polling stations.
Kawanguzi also adds that, their party members have conducted door to door peaceful campaigns over the past three months and they are well prepared to safeguard their victory.
Meanwhile, Edrine Lufafa, the chairperson of NRM in Jinja city notes that they too have spent the past one week sensitizing their teams on voter protection.
Lufafa says that these teams have been equipped with ample knowledge on vote protection through peaceful means, which will enable them to secure their victory at the different polling stations.
Lufafa has since called upon members of the general public to turn up in big numbers and vote for their preferred candidates without restraint.
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