Kampala — Kinkizi West parliamentary aspirant James Musinguzi has demanded that 7,000 soldiers be withdrawn from the area by Friday.

Musinguzi yesterday wrote to the chairman of the Electoral Commission complaining that thousands of UPDF soldiers have been taken to the constituency to support his rival, Defence minister Amama Mbabazi.

In the letter he delivered to the commission offices on Jinja Road around midday, Musinguzi also complained of intimidation of his supporters by public officials.

Last month Mbabazi lost a petition in the Court of Appeal, nullifying his election as the area MP.

Nominations for the by-election are on Jan. 14 and 15.

¡§„mpublic officers have already started to publicly campaign for Hon. Amama Mbabazi and to de-campaign me as a rebel and enemy of the government,¡¨ reads part of Musinguzi¡oes five-page letter.

The officials implicated are Kamara Bayeye and Lt. James Mwesigye, RDCs of Kanungu and Kabale districts respectively; Kanungu district chairwoman Josephine Kasya, deputy RDC Lt. Nalumoso and the district Internal Security Officer Victor Tumwine.

The letter quotes the Movement Secretariat¡oes information director Ofwono Opondo as having promised the secretariat¡oes support to Mbabazi. This, he said, would contravene the principle of individual merit.

Musinguzi said the Rukungiri deputy RDC Emmanuel Niwamanya has directed transporters to not accept to be hired by Musinguzi or his supporters

The letter demands that the EC gets the named public officials in Kanungu to withdraw threats made against Musinguzi¡oes supporters.

EC Chairman Badru Kiggundu said last evening that the commission was still considering a response to Musinguzi¡oes letter.

¡§Oh yes, we have received the letter but I don¡oet want to give you bits and pieces,¡¨ Kiggundu said. ¡§We shall come out with a position tomorrow [today].¡¨