Uganda: Ballot box stolen, voters miss voting

Over 800 voters in Kacherere, Rubaale in Ntungamo District did not vote on Thursday because a ballot box that was allocated to the area was allegedly stolen.

Rubaale is a hotly contested constituency between Ms Naome Kabasharira and the State Minister for Gender, Mr Mwesigwa Rukutana.

Their camps have on several occasions clashed during the campaign season.

Mr Latif Ngonzi, the Electoral Commissioner registrar said that they plan to extend voting in the area to Friday.

Three people have reportedly been arrested in connection with the incident.

Reports show that the ballot box was stolen after the truck that was hired to deliver voting materials broke down.

Meanwhile, voting has been closed and vote counting is currently underway at most polling stations across the country.

The exercise which was conducted between 7 am and 4 pm saw a number of hitches where voting was delayed due to reasons ranging from late delivery of polling material to faulty biometric machines.

At St Mbaaga Kiwatule Primary School polling station in Nakawa West Constituency, by 4 pm the time voting was meant to end, voters were still queueing.

Reports also show that some voters are returning to polling stations to witness vote counting.