By Wetondo Denis Julius
MBALE
The Member of Parliament aspirant for Bubulo West Constituency in Bugisu sub region has asked police to bring back his 9,268 hoes they impounded unconditionally.
Christopher Wataka Matembo is contesting on the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC).
Police on Thursday 27th November raided the home of Matembo at Bumufuni Central Cell, Bumwangu ward Manafwa town council and impounded 9,268 hoes.
Police argue that they suspected Matembo was going to distribute the hoes to voters which contravenes the law.
According to Matembo, these hoes belong to his brother meant to be sold at the brother’s hardware.
He denies police allegation that he was going to give the hoes to voters as a means of bribing them.
The FDC candidate has now demanded that police should bring back the hoses unconditionally since it has no sufficient evidence that that he was going to give them out to voters.
Robert Tukei, the acting Elgon region police spokesperson, when contacted said police will not give back the hoes until investigations are concluded.
Tukie also says that all 9,168 impounded hoes are now at Manafwa central police station as investigations go on.
Meanwhile, Ahamada Washaki, the Resident District Commissioner (RDC) Manafwa has warned all politicians in the district against vote bribery saying that the law will catch up with them.
He adds that voters must excise the democracy the NRM government brought by voting a person of their choice without being compromised by bribes.
Stephen Wambete and Charles Kusolo both voters from Bubulo west constituency in Manafwa district have expressed their disappointment with police’s.
They argue that police would have waited for Matembo to distribute the hoes before impounding them.
“Police’s action is intimidation geared towards tarnishing the name of our candidate,” Wambete said.
Vote bribery case according to section 68 of parliamentary election Act is punishable by disqualification from the race.
Other candidates vying for the same post are Christopher Welikhe of NRM, and Richard Nataka on an independent ticket.
