By Weswa Ronnie
NAMISINDWA
Police in Namisindwa district have arrested one Electoral Commission staff member, while another is on the run, over allegations of election malpractice.
The suspects are identified as Saulo Nanongo, the Lushu parish chief who worked as a presiding officer at Lushu center polling station in Tsekululu sub-county, and David Bwayo, the Tsekululu sub-county supervisor.
Last Thursday, during local government elections, Nanongo allegedly engaged in electoral malpractice by inflating Wilson Walimbwa’s votes to 197, when he actually received 97 votes at Lushu center polling station, securing him a short-lived victory.
During the tallying process at Namisindwa tally center, Moses Waburoko, the incumbent and candidate for district councilor, raised a petition to Silyvia Chepegei Nagendo, the district registrar, for verification.
The verification discovered that the figures had been altered. Later that day, the registrar declared Waburoko as the duly elected councilor of Tsekululu sub-county on the National Resistance Movement (NRM) party ticket.
The registrar immediately ordered the arrest of Bwayo for malpractice.
Waburoko told our reporter in an exclusive interview today, Monday, 26th January, 2026 that he was shocked to hear different results, as the declaration form showed other figures, prompting him to petition.
Waburoko says the law must take its course on the two officers, serving as an example to others who habitually take money from candidates to manipulate votes in their favor.
Namisindwa district Registrar has confirmed the incident, saying she has handed over the matter to police for investigation.
Namisindwa district police commander, Addie Rich, says Saulo Nanongo, the presiding officer at Lushu center polling station, is currently on the run. “Police will do what it takes to have him arrested and charged with election malpractice,” he said.
He says police is going to do what it takes to have him arrested such that he can be charged with election malpractice case.
According to Namisindwa registrar, Waburoko of NRM won with 824 votes, while his rival, Wilson Walimbwa, an independent candidate, came second with 770 votes. Ivan Wabweni got 298 votes, and Mark Wekoye of FDC got 1 vote.
Attempts to get a comment from Walimbwa were futile, as his phone was not reachable by press time.
