The secretary general of the opposition, National Unity Platform (NUP), David Rubongoya, has claimed that President Museveni is being misinformed about the recent Kawempe North by-election.
The by-election, held last Thursday to fill the vacancy left by the late Muhammad Ssegirinya, resulted in NUP's Elias Nalukoola defeating NRM's Faridah Nambi.
However, on Sunday, President Museveni raised concerns about alleged vote rigging and announced that an electoral and criminal investigation had been initiated regarding the by-election.
In a letter shared on social media, the President mentioned various allegations, including ballot stuffing, result tampering, and the destruction of ballot boxes in areas such as Kazo-Angola and Mbogo Mosque zone.
Mr Museveni claimed that some individuals were trying to prevent certain votes from being counted, citing issues like campaigning at polling stations, intimidation, and violence.
"The following allegations have come up: ballot papers stuffing, altering results, destroying ballot boxes in Kazo-Angola, Mbogo Mosque zone, etc., because, apparently, some People did not want those votes to be counted, campaigning at the Polling Stations, intimidation, violence, etc." the President stated in his letter shared on social media.
Appearing on NBS Television's political show, Morning Breeze, Rubongoya refuted any claims of misconduct by NUP in the by-election.
Instead, he challenged Museveni's assertions, suggesting that the President is being misled by those around him.
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"His letter was shocking. Either he is a terrible liar or he's being fed by lies and falsehoods by all these people around him because he reached a point of saying that someone was arrested with 18 ballot papers when actually the man who Balaam paraded had voter location slips which are usually held by LCs," Rubongoya said.
Rubongoya further accused the Electoral Commission of attempting to manipulate the election results in favour of other candidate against NUP's.
"We were at the tally centre and you saw what they were trying to do. In fact we did not have all our DR forms, right now we wouldn't have an MP-elect as NUP." Rubongoya.
Nalukoola was declared the winner of the election with 17,764 votes, defeating his closest rival, NRM's Faridah Nambi who received 8,593 votes.
On Sunday, Museveni remarked that minor electoral offenses had occurred, impacting the election results, and emphasized that those responsible would be held accountable.
"The heavy deployment of security forces may have stopped mass violence, but it could not stop these micro crimes that should have been managed by the election officials. Some People really miscalculate. To think that you can commit such crimes against the law and the people when the NRM is in charge of the country is the highest form of shallowness. We shall hold everybody accountable." President Museveni stated.
