Kampala — FDC officials have said the Isingiro by-election was marred by malpractice and harassment of its agents by security agencies.

Party treasurer Jack Sabiiti said their agents did not witness the counting and announcing of the results because security personnel chased them away from polling stations.

Sabiiti was addressing journalists at the Grand Holiday Hotel in Mbarara on Tuesday. He was flanked by Mary Frances Kabateraine, the Mbarara FDCâ-àchairperson and Ingrid Turinawe, the youth mobiliser.

"Electoral Commission (EC) officials are not handling elections well because the Government has intimidated them. Workers fear losing their jobs once they resist orders from their appointing authority," he said.

Byarugaba Isingoma, the NRM candidate, emerged the winner in the Tuesday poll with 58,965 votes, while FDC's Stella Kyakuhaire Kafureeka had 14,534 votes.

Kafureeka said: "In some polling stations of Kashuro 11, Kahenda 1, Nyarubungo and Kanywamaizi where Kafureeka defeated Byaruhanga, the FDC agents were not harassed. But in Kajaho, Nakivale, Katojo, Kashojwa, and Kekubo, they chased away my voters."

But ECâ-àchief Eng. Badru Kiggundu said the elections were free and fair despite the low turn up of voters.