Tensions flared in several villages within Buteba Sub-county and the Eastern Division of Busia District as the NRM village-level elections faced disruptions following the unexpected participation of individuals crossing from neighbouring Kenya.
Busia District shares a border with Kenya, and communities such as the Samia and Iteso have strong family and ethnic ties on both sides, making it difficult to distinguish between citizens during local events.
The most affected areas included Marachi D, Sofia A, and Sofia B in the Eastern Division, and Okame, Abochet, Amagoro, and Alupe in Buteba Sub-county. In these villages, election proceedings were either delayed or cancelled due to concerns about voter eligibility.
Busia District NRM Chairperson Mr. Eric Masiga confirmed that the elections in four villages — Alupe, Amagoro, Abochet, and Okame — were suspended after allegations emerged that non-Ugandan nationals attempted to participate in the process.
“We followed the party register, but disruptions occurred when individuals without proper documentation insisted on voting,” Mr. Masiga said. He added that elections in the affected areas were rescheduled.
In Eastern Division’s Marachi D, Sofia A, and Sofia B villages, voting resumed after initial delays caused by disputes among candidates over voter identity. Ms. Linet Lilian Acheng, the NRM registrar for the area, said the process was adjusted after candidates agreed to proceed by lining up, rather than using the initial registration list.
Meanwhile, elections were also postponed in other parts of the district, including Dabani, Western Division, Masinya, Lumino, Lunyo, and Busime sub-counties. In Dabani, some villages like Nangwe North, Nangwe South, and Shamitumba experienced delays after voters claimed their names were missing from the official register.
There were additional reports of disturbances in Buyondi (Lumino), Hadoda (Masinya), and Nangwe Madibira (Western Division), where local residents objected to the inclusion of unfamiliar names in the voter lists. “We couldn’t proceed with a register that excluded actual residents,” said Mr. David Tibita, a local.
Several isolated incidents of unrest were also reported. In Mugungu B (Eastern Division), tensions between voters led to police intervention. Residents also clashed in Marachi D, Sofia A, and Arubaine over voter eligibility concerns, while in Rukaka village, police were forced to fire in the air to control a chaotic situation.
In one unusual incident in Kateke village, Buteba Sub-county, a local leadership contest took a violent turn when Mr. Lawrence Ikemeri, elected LC1 chairperson, was allegedly assaulted by his son, Mr. Stephen Okameri, following the election outcome. According to Busia District Police Commander Ms. Alice Kuka, a case has been registered and investigations are ongoing.
The NRM’s regional spokesperson, Mr. Rogers Mulindwa, attributed most of the disruptions to confusion over voter lists and the presence of individuals not registered in specific villages. “In many parts of Busia, the elections proceeded smoothly. The issues largely arose where voter identity could not be verified,” he stated.
